Band on the Run
by JoniLuvsChachi
Summary: Getting Lotor in chains was the easy part. Getting him to Earth to be tried for his crimes is another monster all together. A mole in the Alliance has framed Keith and Lance for treason and someone is out to dismantle Voltron for good! COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first Voltron fic, and I am super excited. Rated T for language, and other implied stuff :) Band on the Run takes place not too long after Fleet of Doom. Lotor's been captured and Zarkon has been killed. It's an action/adventure story with a little romance sprinkled in here and there. There will be some K/A (not the focus of the story) but some of the others will see a little action too. **

**I decline to do any disclaimers because, really, nobody's going to mistake me for someone who might actually make money writing Voltron stories. Though I wish I could :) I love feedback, good and bad (as long as it's constructive) and I really enjoy getting new ideas from fellow fans, so by all means, throw them out there. Hope you enjoy! **

Time had stopped for him. It was dark. So dark, that, at times, he couldn't even be sure if his eyes were open or closed. The only sounds that were to be heard was the steady dripping of water echoing off of the granit walls. Was it above him? Below? He couldn't be sure, but the constant dripping was beginning to drive him mad. _That is their intention. _He thought as he pulled again at the chains binding his wrists and ankles. _They will not leave me here just to die. _That was evidently not the plan, for every few hours or so, a soldier would come to see him, offering him food and drink. _They will leave me here until I go insane. This is how my life will end. Not in a great battle, but in a dark, dank, cave while I steadily lose my mind._

His ears perked up when he heard footsteps echoing throughout the cavernous walls. There was no way of knowing how far away they were but as he listened, they began to get louder. Someone was coming. It couldn't have been more than an hour or so since he had eaten last. Who could possibly be coming to see him?

A dim light began bouncing in time to the footsteps as the stranger turned the corner. Soon the light was right on him. He squinted as he eyes tried to adjust.

"Get that thing out of my face!" He demanded.

The concentrated beam of light dropped to the ground. As it reflected off of the rock floor, his could now see his visitor. Or visitors. He scowled at the man standing before him.

"Have you finally come to finish me off, Commander?" He chuckled. "Too bad it has to be done with me in shackles. I always knew you were a coward."

Keith narrowed his eyes at him. The distaste in his stone cold expression left no room for interpretation. He seemed to want to say something. Instead, he stepped to the side and allowed the other visitor to step forward.

Even in his weakened state, he couldn't help but smile maniacally. "And Allura. Have you come to give me a good-bye kiss before I go to the great beyond?"

"Shut your mouth, Lotor!" Keith growled.

The princess moved closer to get a better look at him. This was the first moment that he had seen her since they had taken him prisoner. While her distain for him was unmistakeable, something in her eyes was sad. As if she almost felt sorry for him.

As an afterthought, she hardened her features and straightened her shoulders. "Lotor, I have come to inform you that you are to be transferred off of Arus. You will be taken by armed escort to the planet Earth where you will be housed in a facility that befits the nature of your crimes."

"Out of sight, out of mind, eh, Allura?" Lotor stretched his neck in a vain attempt to get closer to her. Keith, ever the noble knight, with his damnable lightening fast reflexes, snatched her back by the arm before Lotor could even get a whiff of her perfume. She turned to leave. "At least tell me you'll miss me."

Allura glanced over her shoulder. "The only thing that I feel right now, Lotor, is pity."

That was the last of the insults that he could take from her. "Don't you dare pity me!" His words fell on deaf ears as she walked away, Keith following in her wake, plunging him back into darkness. "I am Lotor, Crown Prince of Doom! You better pray to your god everyday that I do not get out of these chains!"

"I told him not to take her down there." Lance leaned lazily against a nearby bolder allowing the sun to beat down on his face. "You know Allura. Once she gets a look at Lotor down there all pitiful in his chains, she will start to feel all sorry for him, and next thing you know, she'll be wanting to let him stay in the castle."

Hunk and Pidge both sat perched on top of the landspeeder that they had arrived in, taking turns playing on Pidge's hand held game system.

"I don't understand how she can possibly feel sorry for the monster." Hunk remarked. "He tried to destroy her planet."

Pidge cursed loudly at his game before handing it over to Hunk. He leaned back with his hands behind his head. "She's a very sensitive person. She does not like to see anyone in pain."

Lance scowled. "Yeah, well, I do. Especially Lotor. Especially when it's my fist causing the pain."

"I've tried to explain this to you, Allura."

Lance, Hunk, and Pidge turned toward the mouth of the cave as Keith's voice drifted out. The light from Keith's handsfree flashlight attached to his wrist grew larger as he and Allura began to emerge into the sunlight. He finally reached down and shut it off.

Allura looked distraught as she shielded her eyes from the sun. "I just don't agree with leaving him chained up down there like an animal."

Lance glanced at Pidge and Hunk and mouthed the words, "I told you so."

Keith sighed in frustration. "Allura, the Castle of Lions has no facility to hold a prisoner of Lotor's caliber."

"I know that, Keith!" Allura's pitch raised slightly, and Lance knew that there was about to be a blow up. "My father built that castle as a sign of peace! He never dreamed that there would be a need to hold war criminals there."

"Exactly." Keith countered. "This was the most secure option until we can have him transferred. I will not let Lotor be kept under the same roof with..." He paused to think his next words through. Lance, Pidge, and Hunk leaned forward on pins and needles to hear what he would say. "...with people that he has harmed or has any intention of harming."

The three pilots sagged their shoulders in disappointment.

Allura, however, was livid. "It is MY castle! And I will decide who gets to stay under its roof. We could find a place..."

"Where?" Now Keith's frustration became more evident as he raised his voice. "Maybe we could put him up in one of the guest rooms. Hell, why don't you offer to share your room with him!" The second the words came out of his mouth, he knew he had crossed the line. The looks he was receiving from his teammates confirmed it. Allura's jaw dropped. He took a deep breath to calm himself before reaching out to rest his hands on her arms. "I'm sorry." He spoke in a decidedly calmer voice. "That was a really stupid thing to say. Listen, tomorrow the escort will be arriving to take him to Earth. It's one more night, Allura. Can you give me just one more night?"

"_One more night, gimme just one more night..." _Lance sang softly. While Hunk and Pidge snickered, his song was interrupted by stern looks from both Keith and Allura. He sauntered over and put an arm around each of them. "Come on, Mom and Dad. You know the kids hate to see you fight. Allura, you know that I've always got your back, but I have to agree with Keith on this one. It's just too dangerous to keep Lotor in the castle."

"Yeah," Hunk added. "It would make it easier for Lance to ring his neck."

Allura looked from Lance to Keith, obviously turning their arguement over in her head. Finally she conceded. "Fine. We'll do it your way."

"Now that that's settled, can we get some lunch? I'm starving." Hunk announced.

"That's a good idea." Allura said. She dislodge herself from Lance and started back to the speeder.

"Something I don't get though." Said Pidge as he climbed into the backseat. "Why do they want us there? I mean, don't they have people who can escort Lotor the Earth?" He squeezed in between Hunk and Lance while Keith and Allura sat up front.

Keith hit the ignition and they were on their way back to the castle. "Lotor's going to be charged for his crimes. They want us to give statements that they can use against him as evidence."

"Couldn't we just send a letter?" Lance complained.

"Those were our orders, Lance."

Allura sat with her arms crossed, still sulking about the lost battle against Keith and Lance. She hated it when they actually agreed with each other long enough to stand against her. "I still don't like the idea of leaving Arus unprotected."

"With Lotor in custody and Zarkon dead, their power is starting to crumble." Keith looked over at her to make sure she was listening. "Besides, the Alliance is sending some extra ships to keep an eye on things until we get back."

Hunk tried to lean forward but only managed to squash Pidge.

"Ow!"

"Sorry little buddy." He readjusted himself. "How long are we going to be exactly?"

"Shouldn't take more than a couple of days." Keith assured him. "We should be back within the week."

Hunk suddenly became animated. "Hey, maybe we could hook up with the old crew for drinks."

"Yeah," Now Lance was in the conversation. "Hey Allura, there's this great sushi restaurant I gotta take you to. It's the best."

"We are going on official business." Keith interjected.

Lance and Hunk both slumped in their seats dejected. Allura glared at Keith for taking the wind out of their sails. "Well, while you are liasons for planet Arus, you are under my orders. And I say, that once everyone gives their statements, you shall all be off duty for the remainder of our stay on Earth."

As three in the back gave a resounding 'thank you', Keith gave her a sideways glance only to find her smirking at him with an eyebrow raised. Regardless of the disagreement from earlier, he couldn't help but smile. "You realize that you just let loose a whole lot of trouble."

She giggled loudly. "I'm looking forward to it."

They had just finished lunch when Coran had summoned them to the control room. When they arrived, a large picture of an older man, whom Keith immediately recognized, presented itself on the viewscreen.

"Colonel Wade." Keith acknowledge his commanding officer with a quick salute. Lance, Pidge, and Hunk followed suit.

"Good afternoon, Commander. Your Majesty."

"Good afternoon, Colonel." Allura returned. "What can we do for you?"

The older man's mustache bristled. "I have contacted you regarding the transfer of your prisoner tomorrow. We have received intel that the Drules in the local galaxies have learned that you have Lotor in custody, and they are not too happy about it."

Lance narrowed his eyes. "The Drules never struck me as the loyal sort. Why do they care if we have Lotor?"

"King Zarkon and Prince Lotor still answered to the Drule Counsil. With both of them out of commission, the Drules will loose their influence in that part of the galaxy. They may not be loyal, but they love power."

"What are the risks of transport?" Keith asked.

"We believe that the Drules will try to take Lotor back while in transit. As a precaution, we are sending an unmarked freighter to Arus to bring you and Lotor back to Earth."

Allura took a step forward. "What about the men that you promised to send to Arus? I will not leave this planet until I am sure that it is secure."

"A number of ships will be arriving after you leave. It is better that you are already off planet before the squaudron arrives."

"A decoy." Hunk stated.

"Yes. With the execption of the pilot, you will have no other Garrison personelle on board your ship. And there can be no radio contact until you reach Earth's atmospere. So, it will be up to you to keep Lotor in custody until you arrive."

Keith nodded. "Understood, Sir. When can we expect the freighter?"

"It is already in route. ETA is twelve hours."

"That's in the middle of the night!" Lance pouted. His comment was ignored.

"Is that all, Colonel?" Allura asked curtly.

"Yes, Your Majesty. I look forward to finally meeting you in person." He gave her an thin smile, which she returned.

"And I, you, Colonel."

They each gave a courteous nod before the the viewscreen went black. Keith turned to his men. "Alright, guys. We have our orders, our transport will be arriving at around 0100 hours. Get yourselves packed, and I suggest that that you get some rest."

Lance, Pidge, and Hunk nodded and collectively left the Command Room. Keith turned to leave, but was stopped by Coran.

"Commander. I'm not so sure that I am completely comfortable with you going without an escort. It sounds too dangerous. You will be out in space with no Voltron and no other means of protection."

Keith glanced at Allura, whose expression mirrored Coran's concern. Though she would not admit it, she was unsure as well. "We have to trust that Colonel Wade knows what he's doing. Having Lotor in custody is a huge win for the Alliance against the Drules. They will do whatever it takes to make sure that he is brought to justice."

His words seemed to have an affect on Coran, whose worried expression softened somewhat. While his concern waned a bit, it was still under the surface.

"We need to get ready, Allura." Keith said. She nodded and they began to walk, leaving Coran watching their backs only like a conerned father could.

When they finally made it to the corridor, and the door was closed behind them, Allura turned to Keith as they walked. "Do you really think that this is the best way to do it? I mean, do you really believe that Galaxy Garrison has everything under control?"

He watched her for a moment. He wanted nothing more than to calm her uncertainty. To tell her that he knew for certain that everything was going to be alright. But it would be a lie. "Between you and me, Allura, I'm not sure what's going to happen tomorrow. But someone told the Drules that Lotor was being transferred tomorrow. That should have been classified information."

"You think it was someone for Galaxy Garrison?" Allura was shocked.

"Probably. We're going to have to watch our backs."

She sighed heavily. "I thought that once Zarkon and Lotor were gone that we wouldn't have anything to fear anymore."

Since Keith had no prepared response, they continued to walk in silence. Suddenly Allura grabbed his arm and pulled him into an open doorway. Keith opened his mouth to ask her what was going on but was silenced when she placed a finger to her lips. She poked her head out into the hall and beckonded him to do the same. He followed her gaze and saw Hunk and Rebecca, one of Allura's handmaidens talking quietly at the end of the hall. They were so engrossed that they hadn't noticed Keith and Allura's presence.

"How long are you going to be gone?" Rebecca was asking.

Hunk sighed and brushed a piece hair behind her ear. "No more than a week."

"What will I do while you are gone?" The saddness in her voice was unmistakeable.

Hunk chuckled. "You will miss me. And I will miss you. Then, when I get back," He gave her a devilish grin. "we will show each other how much we missed each other."

Rebecca giggled as Hunk drew her into his arms and almost swallowed her whole with the most passionate kiss that Allura had ever witness.

A quiet sigh escaped her lips as she watched them. Keith glanced over at her to see a sloppy grin plastered on her face while her eyes glazed over. He couldn't help but smile. Allura was truly a romantic at heart. She glanced over at him to see him watching her. He cleared his throat while he felt the temperature suddenly jump a couple of degrees. He averted his gaze back to the corridor.

"They're gone." He announced, stepping back into the hall. Allura followed and they continued toward their rooms.

Not really knowing what to say next. Really, how do you follow that? He stuck with the most obvious question. "How long has that been going on?"

Allura laughted at his obliviousness. "For some time, Keith. I think they are trying to keep it a secret for now. But I've had my suspicions."

"Well," Keith observed. "sticking your tongue down each other's throats in the corridor isn't really a good way to keep a secret."

Allura wrinkled her nose. "What a wonderful way to ruin a beautiful moment."

Again, he had no response and they fell into another silence. They had reached the T at the end of the corridor where he would go one way to his quarters and she the other. Keith stopped and turned her to look at him. "Listen, I know that you're worried about tomorrow. But we are going to be fine." He gave her a small smile. "Besides, we're the Voltron Force. We can get out of anything."

Allura looked up at him with wide eyes that conveyed nothing but complete trust in what he was saying. "Do you really believe that?"

The commander suddenly felt the overwhelming burden of the princess' trust in him. Not only for her own safety, but for her planet's. "I have to."

Without warning, she raised her tiptoes and gave him a light kiss on the cheek. When she lowered herself to her heels, she was smiling. "Then so do I." She turned away from him and started toward her wing of the castle.

He watched her go. When she had disappeared around the corner, he let out a frustrated sigh before heading the opposite direction. There was no denying the mutual attraction that they had for each other. Unfortunately for Keith, duty always came first. Duty to Galaxy Garrison and duty to Arus. Emotional attatchment was not an option for him. It would affect his ability to lead and, more importantly, to keep those he did care about safe. So, he swallowed his feelings down and locked them away. Things would have to stay the way they were. He just hoped that would be enough.

**Thanks for reading! Don't forget to review!**


	2. Chapter 2

Allura lay awake on her bunk, listening to the light hum of the engine coming from below. Other than the occasional snore from Hunk, the cabin was quiet. They had been in the air for almost three hours and she still couldn't manage to fall asleep. Of course, sharing sleeping quarters with four men wasn't exactly what she was used to or what she had expected. Then again, she never imagined that she would be smuggled off of her own planet in a transport freighter. She rolled to her side and cursed the hard mattress beneath her.

Then she cursed herself for being such a crybaby. The pilot, Captain Marrow, had given her his cot, which also happened to be the only one on the ship. The other members of her team had been content with a few blankets tossed on the floor. With the only illumination in the room being from a low lit lantern in the corner of the tiny bunk area, she could easily make out each of their sleeping forms.

Idlely, she tried to remember life before they had come to Arus. Living in the rubble of her castle, scurrying like rats to find food and water. It had been a very difficult time. Then, suddenly, this rag tag group of young soldiers showed up at her gate. And from the moment she saw them, she knew that they would bring life back to her planet. She never expected the what had happened next. She smiled as she gazed at her heroes, each one holding a very special place in her heart. With those thoughts, she closed her eyes and slept.

She had no idea how long she had been asleep when the ship rocked violently startling her awake. She sat up blinking as her eyes tried to adjust to the new bright light that invaded the cabin.

"What's going on?"

"Don't know yet." Lance was shoving his feet into his boots while Pidge and Hunk tripped over each other looking for theirs. She looked around for Keith, who was absent.

Not even bothering with her own boots, she jumped off the cot and quickly made her way towards the cockpit. Just as she was about enter, Keith appeared, grabbed her, and pushed her against the nearby bulkhead just outside the cockpit door. He put a hand over her mouth to silence her. He thrust a hand out at Lance who was heading toward them. Lance stopped in his tracks and motioned for Pidge and Hunk to do the same.

Allura's eyes widened with confusion at the sudden chaos. Keith leaned in close. She could feel his shallow breath on her neck. "Drule ships." He whispered.

She nodded that she understood and released his hand, but made no move to release her from his grasp. Her heart thudded in her chest. There was no way they could defend themselves against a Drule squadron. She bit her lip to keep from crying out when the ship jolted again.

"They're firing on us!" She whispered hoarsly.

Keith shook his head. "If they wanted to blow us out of sky, they would have done it already. They just want to get our attention."

"Well they got it." Lance whispered. He had been so silent in his movements that Allura hadn't even noticed that he was standing right next to her.

"Pidge, go down to the cargo hold and keep an eye on Lotor." Keith ordered.

The youngest member of the team nodded wordlessly and disappeared down the hatch that led to the bowels of the ship. They could now hear voices from the cockpit.

"This is a transport freighter. I have no weapons to combat you." The Captain Marrow's voice pleaded.

"I am 1st Commander Keurig of the Drule empire. We are looking for a ship carrying five Alliance allies and their prisoner."

Allura's heart stopped and she looked to Keith with terrified eyes. They were looking for Lotor.

"I have no such people aboard. This is a spice freighter."

"Prepare to be boarded."

There was another lurch. Keith held tight to Allura to keep them both from toppling over.

"Tractor beam." Lance observed quietly, pulling his pistol out of it's holster.

"Shit." Keith said under his breath.

Suddenly, a new voice entered the conversation. "What the hell is going on here?" A woman's voice demanded.

"Who are you?" Keurig damanded.

"That's not really important. What is important is that you are holding up my transport ship."

Allura saw the shock on Lance's face, as if he'd seen a ghost. "Deirdre?" He whispered at Keith. The commander only nodded, but did not seem at all surprised by the new voice.

"I am taking special cargo to your own General Clegg."

"What kind of cargo?" Keurig demanded.

"None of your business." She said. "If you would like to contact him, I'm sure that he would be thrilled to know that you were holding up his shipment. And if you even think about boarding my ship, some of that product might just mysteriously disappear, and I will be happy to inform General Clegg that you were the last person aboard."

There was a brief pause. "Hold your position." Keurig finally said.

Time seem to slow to a crawl as the Voltron Force waiting in silence. Allura's breath became shallow with anxiety. She glanced from Keith to Lance and found them both sharing her apprehension. Would Keurig believe the story? She jumped when the ship lurched again, indicating that the tractor beam had been powered down. They were free.

"You may maintain your course with our apologies." Keurig's voice dripped this animosity.

"Thank you." The woman's voice said sarcastically.

After a few more moments of silence, the Captain Marrow called to them. "They're gone, Commander."

Everyone in the back cabin let out a collective sigh of relief. They were soon gathered in the cockpit to find out what exactly had happened.

"Everyone okay over there?" The faceless voice addressed them.

"Yeah, we're fine." Keith announced. "Thanks for the assist."

"No problem."

"Deidre McMannus?" Lance was still in shock.

"Hey, Lance. You can wipe that dumbfounded look off your face. But i guess that's the way you always look, eh?"

Hunk snickered. They had no visual, yet she knew what expression Lance displayed. "What the hell are you doing here?" He interjected.

"Hello to you too, Hunk. Didn't Keith tell you?"

Keith's team turned to look at him in unison. He shrugged. "I was worried about making the trip without backup." He glanced at Allura. "So I contacted Deirdre yesterday, before we left."

Allura stepped forward. "Well, I'm certainly glad that you did. Thank you for helping out, Deirdre."

"Who is that?"

"I am Princess Allura of Arus."

"A Princess? Wow, Keith, you didn't tell me you were in the company of royalty. I'm impressed. I'm sorry that I can't bring up my visual. My comm has been acting a little hinky lately."

"What did you do to my ship?" Hunk growled.

"Your ship?" Deirdra admonished.

"Hey, little girl, half of the modifications made to that ship were made by me! She's just as much my baby as she is yours."

Deirdra laughed. "Well, maybe you can give her a litte TLC when we get to Earth."

"I would love to get my hands on the Siren again."

"Consider it done, Hunk." There was a pause. "Well, now that the drama's over, I need my beauty sleep. I'll be on auto pilot for the next few hours. Let me know if you need anything."

"Hey, Deidre," Lance called out. "How did you know that Keurig wouldn't call your bluff and board us anyway.? You had to know that he would check your story."

"Because I wasn't bluffing. Not really. There really is a shipment heading for General Clegg." 

"Are you smuggling for the Drules now?" Lance raised an eyebrow.

"Of course not. I may not have many scruples, but there are lines that even I won't cross."

"Then how did you...?"

"I was hanging out at a bar on Optimus Prime. You know what a seedy planet that is anyway. Something you've got to know about space pirates is that when they get drunk, they love to talk. So, I overheard this guy bragging about some huge run that he's making to General Clegg."

"Nice work, Deidre." Keith said.

"Thanks, now if you don't mind, I am exhausted. Keeping up with you guys will really take it out of a girl."

Allura snorted. "Tell me about it." Before she even realized she had said it out loud, the company in the cockpit all turned to look at her. She shrugged. "It's true."

"I'll contact you guys in a few hours. By then we shouldn't be too far from Earth."

The cabin fell silent again. Hunk yawned loudly. "Think that I will follow her example and get some shut eye."

"I think that's a good idea." Keith agreed. "Captain Marrow, why don't you let me take the helm for a few hours. Go get some rest."

The Captain nodded. "Yes, Sir." He relinquished his chair to the commander.

Allura turned to follow the others to the back. "You coming, Lance?"

"Nah, I think I'll hang out to keep Keith company for a little bit." He jumped into the co-pilot seat next to Keith.

She nodded and, feeling a new bout of exhaustion coming on, she turned to toward the back cabin. She decided that she might actually be able to get some decent rest with Keith and Lance at the controls. They were safe for now. She silenely prayed that circumstances would remain that way until they reached Earth.

"Deirdre, huh?" Lance glanced at Keith with amusement. "What's up with that?"

Keith kept a steady eye on the control panel."She's one of the few people that I trust not to be the mole in the Alliance. She was close and available."

Lance raised an eyebrow. "How did you know she was close enough to get to us in time?"

"I have my sources, Lance."

"Does she know that we're meeting Colonel Wade when we land?"

Keith continued to stare forward. "No, I haven't given her any of the details about our mission. She doesn't even know what our cargo is. The less she knows right now, the better."

Lance nodded. "I'm just surprised. Deirdre wouldn't have been the first person I would have thought of to contact."

Keith looked at his friend and gave him a smug smile. "That's why you're the arm, and I'm the head." He pointed to Lance, "muscle," then to himself. "Brains."

Lance wrinkled his nose at him "Ha ha ha..."

"Admit it, Lance, it's funny because it's true."

Lance sighed and turned back to the controls in front of him. "Yeah, yeah, yeah...it is good to know that you can admit that I am stronger than you, though. So what now, Chief? It's obvious that they're looking for us."

Keith nodded. "And when we get to Earth, I have every intention of finding out who is behind all of this.'' Unconsciously he gripped the contols tightly and furrowed his brow as he stared out at the stars in front of them. "And I will make them pay."

**Yes, yes...I know that I named the commander after a coffee maker, and the Optimus Prime...? Well, sometimes I just get too damn lazy to come up with a reasonable sounding name for a random planet :) And since this is the only time that either will be mentioned in the story, I decided it wasn't worth getting my panties in a bunch over. Hope you enjoyed it.**

**Don't forget to Review! :)**


	3. Chapter 3

Emperor Zeppo waited with infinite patience as he stared at the blank viewscreen in front of him. The man he was waiting for better have an excellent explaination as to why his Drule scouts had been unable to find the Voltron Force and Lotor. Finally, the screen flickered and the human's face appeared. The man looked even older than his actual years.

"Emperor, Zeppo." The man addressed him uncertainly.

Zeppo narrowed his yellow eyes. "Why have my scouts been unable to locate the Voltron Force and Lotor?" The Drule Emperor was in no mood to put up with pleasantries.

"Because your men are incompetent. Contact has been made to Galaxy Garrison by the Voltron Force. They are now in Alliance space, and will reach Earth in a matter of hours. They have reported that a ship did attempt to detain them but they were able to escape under some sort of subderfuge." There was a pause. "I gave you the only information that I had which was that they were on an unmarked freighter. There was no radio communications while they were en route, so there was no way of knowing their exact location. It was up to your men to find and dispose of them."

The Emperor was quiet for a moment. "Trust me, I will find the idiots that let them slip through their fingers, and I will deal with them personally. In the meantime, we must find a way to get to Lotor."

"I've already got a plan in motion that will not only free Lotor, but will neutralize the Voltron Force."

"You do." Zeppo was impressed.

The man laughed. "You didn't think that I would leave this missioin soley in the hands of your goons, did you? I have too much riding on this to let some Drule lackies screw it up."

Now Zeppo was getting annoyed by the human's arrogance. "You do have a lot to lose if this goes bad. I would suggest that you stick to getting rid of the Voltron Force and watch your tongue when you are speaking to me."

"I'm not intimidated by you, Zeppo." The man scoffed. "We came to this unholy alliance because if Lotor is tried and imprisoned, it will be bad for both of us."

"You are right. But keep in mind that if you try to double cross me, I will crush you!" Zeppo threatened.

"And I would advise you to do the same, Emperor."

##################

"Man, it feels good to be back on land." Lance raised his hands over his head and stretched until he felt a satisfying pop in his back.

"Here, here." Hunk agreed. "That felt like the longest trip ever." He picked up his duffle bag and hoisted it over his shoulder.

For security reasons, they had landed at a military outpost just outside of Freetown which was the Epicenter of the Alliance's presence on Earth. They were to be transported into the city to the Alliance headquarters where they were to give their statements to the Alliance Justice Commision.

After quite a bit of arguing with the control tower, Deirdre was finally cleared to land her ship, The Siren, and dock it in one of the facilities. Armed military guards waited on the landing pad. Keith and Allura were the first to deboard, followed by Pidge and Hunk. Lance was the last to make an appearance as they made their way to the landing pad.

Lance shielded his eyes from the sun when he heard a flurry of commotion coming from a nearby dock. There was no question what the ruckus was. They all turned to see a tall, curvy red head, whose hair matched the wildness in her eyes storming to them. She narrowed her green eyes at them. "You know, Keith, you really could have warned me that we would be landing on a military base." She crossed her arms. "I would have made other arrangements for docking my ship."

To his credit, Keith kept a calm demeanor even as the woman berated him. "There was no time for that, Deirdre. The most important thing was to get our cargo here as quickly as possible."

She didn't seemed convinced, but she allowed her scowl to melt into smile anyway. She wrapped her arms around Keith in a friendly hug. "It's good to see you, Keith."

The initimate contact was not missed by Allura, who clearly mistook it for something else. Lance covered his mouth to stifle a laugh. Instead of allowing an already awkward situation to get worse, he cleared his throat loudly. "Deirdre."

The red head let go of Keith and turned to Lance. "Lance McClain." She planted her hands on her hips. "You have gotten uglier since I saw you last."

"And you've put on weight." He shot back.

"Lance!" Allura cried.

Her cry was for naught as the two broke into a fit of laughter. It thouroughly confused Allura. Hunk put a massive elbow on her shoulder. "Don't worry about those two, Allura. They rewrote the book on love-hate relationships."

"A love-hate relationship?" Now she was truly perplexed. "I don't understand."

"They love to hate each other. It's been that way since they were in the Acadmeny. Hey Dee!"

"You know I hate when you call me that, Hunk!" They too shared a warm hug. When they parted, Deirdre turned to Allura.

"Princess Allura." Deirdre nodded courteously to the princess who returned a friendly smile.

"Hello, Deirdre, you're looking well."

The red head laughed. "Well, Lance was right about one thing. I have let myself go a tad since I left Galaxy Garrison."

It was true, since Deirdre had resigned her commission at Galaxy Garrison, she had filled out a bit. But Allura noted that it only added to her already curvy stature. But other than the long braids that fell down her back, Deirdre didn't look much differnt from the woman who had been assigned to guard the princess not four years earlier, just before Keith and his team had arrived on Arus to revive the legend of Voltron.

Before more pleasantries could be exchanged, Deirdre narrowed her eyes as she glanced past Allura toward the control building. "Is that Colonel Wade?"

They group followed her gaze. Colonel Wade, followed by more armed guards, was walking toward them.

Keith stepped to the front of the group and saluted his commanding officer. Lance, Hunk, and Pidge followed suit. Wade returned the gesture.

"Commander, I am pleased to see that you were able to make the voyage unscathed."

"Barely," Lance seethed under his breath. Keith wrinkled his nose at his second in command, but rather than chastise him, he motioned to Deirdre. Lance took the hint and took her by the arm, leading her away from the group.

Wade ignored him and turned his attention to Allura. "Princess Allura, it is a pleasure to finally meet you in person."

Allura couldn't have made herself smile if she had wanted to do so. Keith might say that he trusted Wade, but she knew that he had his reservations, and so did she. "Yes, Colonel. I only wish it was under better circumstances. We were almost boarded by Drules just outside of Alliance space. They knew we were coming, and they knew that we were in a non-military transport."

Wade rubbed his chin. "Yes, I heard. I want a full debriefing once we return to the base."

"If it's all the same to you, Colonel," Keith paused and took a breath. His next statement was not going to bode well with Wade. "I would like to debrief with General Hawkins."

To Keith's surprise, Wade only laughed. "The General is a very busy man, Commander. He does not have time for such nonesense."

"With all due respect, Colonel," The men turned now to Allura who stepped up to stand beside the commander.

Keith nearly smiled when she squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. It was a stance that he knew only too well. Allura was in full command mode now.

"Lotor is still in my custody." She stated matter-of-factly. "And I am a member of the Alliance Security Counsil. I believe that there is someone in either Galaxy Garrison or the Alliance who is informing to the Drules, and that puts our mission in danger. Now, if you would like to avoid an interplanetary incident which would include my taking Lotor back to Arus, I suggest that you contact General Hawkins immediately and tell him that we would like to meet with him."

Wade assessed the Princess with a level gaze, and Keith could tell that he was trying to decide if she was bluffing or not. He quickly decided that she was not.

"Very well, Your Majesty." Wade conceded sourly. "I will contact General Hawkins myself. In the meantime, I have a transport ready to take you to Regis Military Base. Your cousin has already arrived. We have accommadations ready for you. You will begin your giving your statements tomorrow morning. Of course, you will be required to have escorts as long as you are on base."

#########################

"Wade, Lance? Really?" Deirdre raised an irritated eyebrow at Lance and crossed her arms.

Lance sighed loudly while silently cursing Keith for making him deal with the hot-tempered woman. Wade had been the reason that Deirdre had resigned her commission in the first place. Although he had not seen her since, Lance could tell that she still harbored resentment toward the man. "Settle down, Dee."

"Settle down?" She growled through her teeth. "You stowed away on an unmarked frieghter with Drule cruisers after you, and now Wade and armed guards? And nobody seems to want to tell me what the hell is going on. What are you guys transporting anyway?"

"I don't have time to go into details right now, Deirdre. But we could really use your help. We need you to trust us." He stepped back and studied her for a moment. "Because right now, you are one of the few people on Earth that we can trust."

Her pensive expression told him that she was mulling it over in her mind. Finally she sighed. "I'm going to regret this, aren't I?"

He smiled at her and realized that Keith had indeed made the right choice in calling her. "Probably."

"What do you need me to do?"

#########################

"Escorts?" Hunk piped up. "What the hell do we need escorts for? Sir."

"For security reasons. Since you have been off-planet, none of your security clearances are up to date." Wade growled.

Keith glanced behind Allura to see Lance and Deirdre returning to the group. Lance nodded to Allura. She returned the gesture. Before they had landed, they had already formulated a plan. "Colonel," She said, "I appreciate your hospitality, but I would feel more secure if my team and I stayed off of the base." She glanced at Keith who gave her the go ahead. "I have accomadations in place in the city."

Wade furrowed his brows. This was apparently not how he had invisioned this meeting playing out, but Keith knew that Allura had the man. She held all the cards at the moment, and the Colonel had no other recourse but to comply. Keith had known Wade since the Colonel had taught him in the flight academy, and Keith knew good and well that the man hated his authority being questioned.

"Very well, Your Majesty." He finally said. "But Galaxy Garrison cannot garantee your safety if you choose to remain off-base."

This time, Allura did smile. "Don't worry, Colonel, I have four of your finest looking out for my interests."

Wade nodded, but made no attempt to return her smile. "Of course."

"Hunk, Pidge, would you please get our prisoner?"

Only moments later, the pilots appeared on the ramp with Lotor between them. He was shackled at his wrists and his ankles. As they moved down the ramp, Lotor sneered at each of them until he reached Allura. He gave her a wide smile, showing his pointed teeth, before blowing her a kiss.

"Who is that?" Deirdre asked.

"Prince Lotor." Allura informed her.

"He's kinda cute."

Everyone standing in the vincinity of her low comment turned to look at her. She only shrugged.

Pidge spoke up. "Yeah, if you're into narcissistic psychopaths."

"It's the teeth," Lance stated matter-of-factly. "She's always been into vampires."

Allura shook her head and decided to ignore the conversation. "We will accompany you and your men to the base where I will officially pass custody of Prince Lotor to you, Colonel."

Wade seethed, and Keith knew that he was getting more agitated as each command from the Princess was presented to him. He wanted to call the shots, but he could not affort to let this opportunity go. "Yes, your Highness. We have a transport ready, but I was not planning on another passenger." He nodded at Deirdre with contempt that mirrored her own.

"No need to worry about me." Deirdre said. "I've got some stuff to do in the city. I'll be taking the Siren to another dock." She shot a look at Keith. "A civilian dock. If your men will give me permission to raise ship." She scowled at Wade.

"I think that we can have that arranged. Well, it seems we have everything covered then." Wade said. "Men, take the prisoner to the transport and secure him. We will be returning to base, immediately." With that he turned on his heel and walked away.

As the guards led Lotor away, Keith motioned for the others to stay back.

Deirdre took a deep breath. "I'm going to get everthing ready. Are there any specific requests, fearless leader?"

"Lance told you what we need?" Keith asked.

She nodded. "I still have some contacts in the city. I can secure us some rooms. They probably won't be the nicest accommadations, but they will be safe."

The commander nodded. "Best if we keep our identities a secret. Pidge, can you rig up something to jam any scans that might be attempted?"

Pidge smiled confidently. "Of course, I can."

"Good, you go with Deirdre. Make sure everything is secure when we're done with Lotor. Send us the coordinates. We'll meet with General Hawkins and rendez-vous with you."

"You got it."

They watched Pidge and Deirdre walk away toward the Siren. Keith let out a deep breath before turning to the others. "Let's go."

Lance and Hunk took the lead while Allura held Keith back a few steps. "Keith, what about Romelle and Sven? Do you think they'll be safe?"

He shrugged. "I'll feel Sven out when we get on base. He'll be able to tell me if they've gotten any threats. Just to be safe, Lance told Deirdre to make sure we have extra rooms for them."

Allura smiled up at him. "You think of everything."

Keith cleared his throat and willed the burning sensation in his cheeks to go away. The truly uncomfortable feeling that arose in his gut when she looked at him like that always made him question his priorities where she was concerned. And he hated second guessing himself.


	4. Chapter 4

**Welcome back! I do hope that everyone has been enjoying the holidays. I know I have. Chapter 4 is up. I definitely am needing some feedback, because I am not really sure how this story is reading to other people. I tend to get a little wordy and don't want to end up boring everyone to tears. So please let me know if it's even coherent. I am always looking to improve my writing. Thanks. Enjoy!**

"Keith, I want to go with you to talk to General Graham." Allura stated firmly.

The commander shook his head. He walked between her and Lance down the corridor of the Galaxy Garrison headquarters. They had officially handed custody of Lotor over to Colonel Wade and were now making their way to the central part of the main building that housed the offices of the higher ups. He glanced back at the two guards that followed only a few steps behind them before answering. "Allura, it's better if we do this one without you."

"Why?" Allura stopped abruptly, placing her hands on her hips. She narrowed her eyes at him.

Keith stopped to look at her. He had anticipated this conversation and had a prepared response. "Seargents," he addressed the men behind them, "would you give us a minute?" While his security clearance called for armed escorts while on base, he still outranked them.

The two sargeants glanced at each other before nodding. "Yes, Sir."

Keith took Allura by the arm and led her just a few feet away, followed by Lance. He lowered his voice. "Because you are our ace in the hole, Allura. We are about to go into Graham's office and start throwing around allegations that he is not going to appreciate very much. You are a member of the Galaxy Alliance. It is best if you are not implicated in any suspicions that arise."

"So your doing this to protect my stellar reputation? I don't give a damn what the Alliance thinks."

Lance smiled. He loved it when she went all rebel on them. Unfortunately, her rebelliousness was not what they needed right now. He put a friendly arm around her. "Look at it this way, Allura. If Graham decides to throw us in the brig for insubordintion, and that is a real possibility," he shot a knowing glance at Keith, "then we will need your stellar reputation to get us out of whatever mess Keith's about to get us into."

Allura looked from one man to the other, weighing their arguements. "Alright." She finally conceded.

"Good. Hunk should be done helping Wade secure Lotor. He'll be meeting us in the main lobby. Why don't you go and wait with him?"

"Yes Commander."

"Sargeant Meaney, please escort the Princess to the public lobby. Lt. McClain and I will be going on to General Graham's office."

"Yes, Sir."

Allura turned on her heel to walk the other way, followed by the Sargeant. She ground her teeth together as the quickened her already determined gait. She hated just sitting around waiting. Although Keith and Lance had made a sound argument why she needn't be there, she still felt like there was something that she should be doing.

Keith and Lance watched her walk away. "I'm kinda surprised that she gave in the easy." Lance commented and grinned as he noticed her strides quicken. "But she's definitely not happy about it."

"She's a rational person." Keith said. "She knows we're right on this one." They turned to continue their course to Graham's office. He glanced at Lance and smiled. "Good job on the whole bailing us out of the brig thing, by the way. Nice touch."

Lance laughed. "Yeah, Allura just can't handle it when we gang up on her. Hey, we should tag team chicks more often. With your good ole boy manners and my rugged good looks and charming personality, we could get all the ladies we could possibly want."

Keith shook his head. "You are a lecherous dog and I want no part of your conquests."

The insults rolled right off of Lance as he laughed again. "Your loss. I just hope Allura doesn't catch on the to little scam we're running on her."

Their light hearted laughter could be heard all the way down the corridor.

###########

Pidge adjusted his glasses again as Deirdre swerved the car again to avoid hitting the one in front of her. They were on the freeway, but she was driving like she was at Talledagah. They were going to find hotel rooms for the group, but first Deirdre wanted to get her car that she kept in storage while she was off planet. While Pidge was used to flying at high speeds, riding in a tricked out old ass Charger that was moving way faster than it was probably meant to go, scared him to death. She had a speaker connected to her ear and was talking to one of her many contacts.

"Are you sure, Ralphie? Yeah, yeah, we're square. You are the best! Thanks a bunch." She pushed a button on her dash, ending the call.

"Room situation is taken care of. And I think that everyone will be quite pleased."

Pidge hadn't known Deirdre as well as the others. He had been a few years behind them at the Academy, which he had made up for by graduating three years early. He had met her a few times, but most of what he knew was what the others had said about her, which wasn't a whole lot. Mostly by reputation. She raised a lot of hell during her time in the Academy and then as a Garrison officer.

"Um Deirdre, I think that they will probably be in their meeting for a while. There's really no need to hurry." He unconsiously shifted in his seat.

"Not to worry, Pidge. I've made a lot of special mods to this baby. She and I are like one."

"I can't believe they even let you drive this thing. I thought Earth finally banned gas fueled machines."

She smiled at him. "Yeah, I had to convert her. With the trouble I went through, she runs cleaner than any other form of transportation on the planet. And she's faster too."

"I can see that."

"And I'm trying to get rid of our tail."

Pidge leaned over to get a better look in the rearview mirror. Sure enough, there was a black car speeding and weaving through traffic, trying to keep up. "Who's that?"

"I don't know. But I can lose them."

She continued to manuver the car in and out of traffic, leaving a trail of blaring horns in her wake from the motorists whom she nearly sideswiped. The car behind them was doing a good job of keeping pace until the traffic began to thin out.

"Here we go." Deirdre quickly switched gears and the car jolted forward as it accelerated on the almost empty highway.

They quickly pulled away from the other vehicle. It was no match for the speed of the Charger. Once they had put some distance between them, Deirdre swerved to the right, taking a tight exit. She blew through the stop sign and quickly made another right. She continued to make a series of turns until Pidge was sure that they had lost their tail. He leaned back in his seat and let out a long breath.

"You okay, Pidge?"

"Yeah. No worries." No worries except that he might throw up. "How far is the hotel?"

"We actually passed it a while back." She said, making another turn that put them back on the onramp of the highway going the opposite direction. "But now that we don't have to worry about being followed, it shouldn't take long to get there."

Pidge allowed himself to relax slightly, but was more anxious than ever to get to their destination and back on solid ground.

############

General Graham rested his elbows on his desk and templed his fingers. "Let me make sure I understand this correctly. The two of you think that there is a mole in the Alliance."

Keith squared his shoulders where he stood. Lance bristled next to him. The conversation hadn't been going as Keith had hoped. Graham was a good leader and, for all intents and purposes, an honest one, but Keith had a feeling in his gut that Graham was holding out on them.

"More specifically in Galaxy Garrison. We believe that someone is feeding intel to the Drules. It's the only explanation for their knowledge of our whereabouts, Sir."

"Hmm..." Graham was pensive. "And what does Princess Allura have to say about all of this?"

"I haven't voiced my concerns to her, General. Because of her diplomatic station, I felt that it was necessary to keep her out of it."

Graham nodded, but Keith got the feeling that there was something else going on behind his thoughtful expression. "It goes without saying that I take these kinds of allegations very seriously."

"Yes, Sir." Lance and Keith answered in unison.

"Now that Prince Lotor is in custody this really should not be a concern."

"But Sir..."

"But, I will assign a task force to look into the matter." He pushed himself away from the table and stood up.

Keith was appalled. "With all due respect, General, we were hoping that we might be the ones to head up..."

"You do not have the security clearance to lead this investigation!" Graham snapped. "The two of you are still under my command! You will follow my orders!"

Keith swallowed hard and, in his peripheral, he could see Lance biting the inside of his cheek to keep quiet. "Yes, Sir." He finally said.

That seemed to quell Graham's anger somewhat. "Good. Now, your team has statements to prepare for tomorrow morning, correct?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Then I suggest that you focus on that, and let me take care of any leak that may or may not be coming from my military."

"Yes, Sir."

"Sgt. Deckard." He called. A moment later, the young Sargent who had escorted them appeared in the doorway.

"Yes, Sir."

"Escort these men out please." Graham looked back to Keith and Lance. "You are dismissed."

With a sullen salute, Lance and Keith turned on their heels and quickly made their way back into the corridor. Lance closed the door behind them and waited until they were a number of paces down the corridor before he spoke.

"Did you get the feeling that the General was not very pleased with our report?" He spat.

"What was your first clue?" Keith answered.

"Do you think that he will really investigate?"

Keith shook his head. "I don't know. But I do know that things have changed alot in Galaxy Garrison since we've been gone. And I don't think that those changes have been for the better."

They turned the corner and made their way back into the public area of Galaxy Garrison headquarters. The low level offices were located there and made available for public tours. The corridor opened into the main lobby. At the front was the reception desk. Just to the right of it was also a gift shop where tourists could buy sweatshirts and coffee mugs. Now that they were back in the public area, Sargeant Deckard saluted them both and left them there. They spotted Allura and Hunk at a table inside the shop, sipping coffee. They were sitting with two very familiar faces.

"Sven!" Lance smiled taking his friend's hand. "And Romelle," he took the pretty blond's small hand and lifted it to his lips. "it is always a pleasure." He took a step back and looked from her to Allura. "You know, until I see the two of you next to each other, I always forget how much you look alike. Two visions that put every star in the heavens to shame."

Keith and Sven glanced at each other before rolling their eyes. Allura smirked, but Romelle batted her big, blue eyes at him. It was common knowledge that Romelle and Sven were an item, but that never stopped Lance was laying a line on her. And she never hesitated to return the favor. "You never change, do you, Lance?"

He gave her his best grin. "Not if I can help it."

Keith also exchanged pleasantries with his former teammate and Allura's cousin. He should have expected to find them there. Allura was nothing if not pragmatic. She had obviously contacted them. Being left out of the meeting did not mean that she would sit idly by and do nothing.

"How did it go?" Allura set her steaming mud down. She was trying to sound cordial, but it was obvious that she was still irked at them for leaving her out of their meeting.

Keith shrugged. "Not what I had hoped for, but about as I expected."

Hunk took a sip of coffee. "Is he going to let us find out what's going on?"

"Nope." Lance shook his head. "He's going to assign a task force to look into it. Told us not to worry about it." The annoyance that he felt came through every word.

Allura sighed. "Well, what now?"

"We keep our eyes open and watch our backs." He turned to Sven and Romelle. "I suppose Hunk and Allura filled you in on what's been going on?" They both nodded. "What do you think?"

"I think that you are right to be suspicious." Sven answered.

Romelle seemed more concerned that he did. "Do you think that we might be in some kind of danger, Keith?"

Keith rubbed his chin. "It's possible. Hunk, have you talked to Deirdre? Has she made any head way getting us a place to stay?"

"We're all set, Boss. She did mention, however, that they had to shake a tail on their way to the hotel." Hunk reported.

"Well that changes things a bit, doesn't it?" Lance commented. "Someone here is actively trying to keep tabs on us."

"Yep." Keith agreed. Things were beginning to look worse. Perhaps they would have to play their ace sooner than he anticipated. "Maybe we should let Allura talk to General Graham. She can use her pull with the Alliance to get something done."

Allura stood up. "Not yet." Everyone turned to her, surprised. "I think that we should wait. Let whoever this is come to us."

"It's too dangerous, Allura." Keith insisted. "We have no idea who we are up against. At least if we can get Graham on our side, we'll have Galaxy Garrison at our back."

She crossed her arms defiantly, and everyone prepared for the match to begin. "You said yourself, Keith, that the mole is probably in Galaxy Garrison. What good will it do us to put our lives in the hands of the enemy?"

"I'm with Allura." Lance said. "Why not let our little snitch reveal himself to us? If he doesn't think we're worried, he'll get careless and slip up."

Keith looked from Allura to Lance and back again. She had a determined look that led Keith to believe that no matter what arguement he was about to make, it was the wrong one. "Alright, we'll try it your way."

She smiled at him. "Good."

"Can we go to the hotel now?" Lance whined. "I really need a shower."

"I'll say." Hunk snickered, earning him a sound punch in the arm for his trouble.

**Thanks for sticking with me. I know this chapter was a little dry, but fear not. Things are really going to get going from here on out. **

**Please R/R. It puts this stupid grin on my face that my kids have yet to figure out :) Cheers!**

**Chapter 5: The gang's going to get have a little fun and K/A get to have their own little moment (for all the K/A fans out there...this one's for you), but there will be some angst. I mean, it's only chapter 5. Can't give away all of my goodies right away :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Welcome back! Thanks to all of you who took the time to comment. They were well recieved and appreciated. I like to know that I am going down the right path. :)**

**Here's a little light hearted fun, a little angst, and some K/A for all you hopeless fans out there. (Hey, we can smell our own.) If you like it, let me know. If you hate it, let me know. Suggestions and ideas are always welcome!**

**Enjoy!**

The next day turned out to be no better than the previous few. The Voltron Force, along with Romelle and Sven, had arrived back at Galaxy Garrison HQ early that morning to begin giving their statements to the Alliance Justice Committee. They had been there for nearly eight hours, each taking their turn testifying to the horrible deeds that Prince Lotor had brought upon them. Keith, Lance, Romelle, and Hunk had given their statements that morning. After a break for lunch, Pidge and Sven had gone in. Allura was last.

Lance yawned and shifted uncomfortably in the wooden chair just outside of the hearing room. It had been emotionally draining having to recount all of the rotten things that the hierarchy of Doom had done to them. Zarkon, Lotor, Hagar...all of them. He was exhausted. He looked up at Keith who had spent most of Allura's time inside pacing restlessly. "How much longer do you think they'll keep her in here? It's been an hour and a half."

Keith stopped for a moment and stared at the closed door. "She has more to tell than any of us." Doom had taken more from Allura than any one of them. They had killed her parents and nearly destroyed her planet. She had been strong through it all. She had picked herself and her planet out of the rubble that had been left by Zarkon and Lotor and fought tooth and nail to bring Arus back to fruition. She was the stongest woman that Keith had ever known. He began pacing again.

They both looked up when the doors opened and Allura stepped out. She was visibly shaken. Her skin was pale and her eyes were red and swollen. When she saw them waiting for her, she dropped her gaze to the floor. Lance jumped up out of his chair.

"How did it go?" He asked.

She shrugged. "I-I just need a minute. Excuse me." She moved past them toward the end of the corridor.

Keith watched her for a moment, not really sure what to do next. Lance decided for him when he cleared his throat loudly then tilted his head toward Allura. Keith got the message loud and clear. It was his responsibility. He was charged with emotional well being of his team. He was the one who needed to be there for her. He nodded and walked purposefully toward Allura.

Sgt. Deckard, who had been standing by the whole time, started to follow him but was stopped by Lance.

"Give 'em a minute, Sargent. They're not going anywhere."

He watched the two from where he still stood in front of the hearing room. The day had taken its toll, and all he wanted was a club sandwich and a cold mexican beer. It seemed almost unreal. It had been four years since they had landed on Arus and took up the mantle of Voltron. In that time, Doom had tried to take over Arus an countless times. Sven had been almost mortally injured, Keith had been shot and nearly killed by Lotor's sword, and Allura had been poisoned, kidnapped, and spirited away to a dream dimension. And those were only a handful of things that happened. It seemed surreal that it was all coming to an end. Zarkon was dead, and Lotor was going to spend the rest of his life in a cell. It was over.

Keith slowed his pace as he drew near Allura whose back was to him. "Allura," His own voice sounded foreign to him as he reached out to touch her shoulder.

She turned suddenly and looked up at him with tearful eyes, and the pain he saw there broke his heart. Without a word, he gathered her into his arms and held her while she sobbed on his shoulder.

"I am so sorry that you had to relive all of those painful memories, Allura." It was true. He would give anything to protect her from the pain that she had been through. And he nearly had. He pulled back and took her face in his hands. With the pads of his thumbs he wiped the tear streaks from her cheeks. "You are one of the strongest people that I know. You have survived everything that Lotor has done to you. You will survive it's memory."

Allura backed away from him and squared her shoulders. She nodded and gave him a strained smile. Keith could always be depended on to give her a certain clarity. It was one of the things that made him special to her. He grounded her. Even when things seemed to be spinning out of control, his rational thinking leveled out her initial emotional reactions.

Things seemed to be winding down, and Lance hated to interrupt the rare moments that Keith and Allura got to spend together outside of protecting Arus. Oh who was he kidding, he got a kick out of making those two uncomfortable. He simply didn't understand them. It was obvious to everyone that they were totally into each other, but for some stupid reason, neither wanted to make the first move. Well, until that day came, Lance was going to enjoy every second of making an already uncomfortable situation even more so.

"You know that I hate interrupting these awkward little moments between you two, but I think we've all had enough angst for one day. Let's go get some grub, then we can have a drink."

Keith and Allura unconsiously stepped away from each other. Keith looked away as Allura wiped the remains of her tear tracks. Both tried in vain to cover the tinge of pink that suddenly appeared on their cheeks. Lance grinned. Mission accomplished. "What do you say, Princess?"

Taking a deep breath, she finally took hold of her emotions and smiled at him. "I think that's the best idea I've heard all day."

#############

Deirdre had done an excellent job finding the group a place to stay. The Starlight Terrace was an upscale hotel in the middle of downtown Freetown. When questioned as to how she had managed to secure such a place, Deirdre only smiled cryptically and said she knew a guy who owed her a favor. Noone questioned her any further.

The group had been split up into two indentical suites across the hall from each other. Each suite had a kitchenette and small living area with a sofa and loveseat, small dining table and chairs, and a television. Three bedrooms branched off of the common area, each with their own bathroom. Keith had been lucky enough to draw the long straw, which meant that he got his own room. Hunk and Pidge decided to bunk together. Lance and Sven took the other room, although Lance had made up his mind that Sven was going to be sneaking over to the ladies' room and staying with Romelle anyway. Allura, Romelle, and Deirdre were across the hall, each getting their own bedroom.

By the time that Keith, Lance, and Allura got back to the hotel, the general consensus was that everyone was starving. So, they showered and dressed and met downstairs in the hotel lounge. It was seven o'clock and there were very few people in the lounge so they enjoyed a rather quiet dinner. There had been very little time the night before for visitation, so they took the moment to catch up. Romelle was particularly interested in Deirdre's relationships with the pilots.

"I was in Hunk's class at the Academy," she was explaining, "we were a year ahead of Keith, Lance, and Sven." She grinned at Sven "I actually tutored Sven in Temporal Mechanics."

Sven laughed. "Yes, and in return, I convinced Keith to help her with Advanced Engineering."

Lance couldn't resist revealing the next bit of information. "Yeah, that's when you two started dating, right Keith?"

"Dating?" The word was out before Allura had even thought it. Sort of a knee jerk reaction. She knew that Keith had been engaged and had lost his fiancee before coming to Arus, but she had never thought of him as the dating type. Lance she expected it from. But not Keith. And now one of his ex-girlfriends was not only sitting across the table from her, but was sharing a suite with her. Allura suddenly wondered what Keith's motives had truely been when he called Deirdre for help.

Neither Keith nor Deidre seemed affected by Lance's comment. Deirdre only smiled. "Yeah, we dated for...what was it? Three months?"

"Nine weeks." Keith shot back immediately.

"But who's counting?" Deirdre shrugged.

Romelle glanced at her cousin and knew that there were a million questions flying around in her head. She knew that Allura had feelings for Keith. Unfortunately, Allura had grown up much too quickly and never enjoyed the wonders of prepubescant crushes and how to manage the opposite sex in matters of romance. "So what happened?" Romelle saw no reason to tip toe around it. It would only be a waste of time. Besides, she wanted to know.

"They decided they couldn't stand each other." Hunk cut in. He and Lance shared a laugh.

Keith even gave a small chuckle. "Actually, we decided that we were better off as friends. And we were right."

"Keith was way too straightlaced for me." Deirdre snickered. "And I was way more than he could handle."

"Yeah, that was it." Keith said.

Romelle sensed her cousin relax a bit and smiled to herself. Allura had obviously decided that Deirdre was no longer a threat. Good, thought Romelle. It should make the rest of the evening go a lot smoother.

An hour later, they were still enjoying cocktails in the lounge, chatting and catching up. The lights had been dimmed, and more people had begun to filter into the bar. Much to Lance's pleasure a group of three ladies had shimmied by their table and taken the table next to them. He had already scooted his chair closer and engaged them. A dj had set up the sound system and dance music was now being played.

Hunk, being in a relationship, found no joy in oogling the local fan fare, so he and Pidge set up camp by the pool tables. Pidge's intimate knowledge of physics made him an excellent pool player, which meant that there was a soon a group around them wanting to get their turn against the short, hot shot.

"What's going on here?" Romelle asked as she passed by on her way back to the table from the bathroom.

Her face was flushed and her eyes a little glazed. Hunk smiled widely at her. The cocktails were begining to have an affect on the pretty princess. "Pidge is about to win again." He said proudly.

Sure enough, Pidge banked the 8 ball twice before dropping it into the designated pocket. The large man standing across the table from him scowled loudly and, reaching into his pocket, tossed a couple of bills on the table.

Romelle was mesmerized. "You're taking his money?"

"Shh.." Pidge said. "Don't tell Keith. He'll kill me if he knew I was betting on pool."

The princess stood straight and crossed her chest with her finger. "What is it you say? Cross my heart." Then she put a finger to her lips and blew loudly before falling into hysterical giggles.

Hunk laughed with her, putting his arm around her. "I think I'll escort her back to the table. You good here, Pidge?"

Pidge was already watching the next sucker rack the balls. "Yeah, I'm good, Hunk."

"Looks like your gonna have your hands full tonight, Sven." Keith commented as they watched Hunk tote Romelle back to the table.

Sven shook his head. "I told her to stay away from the tequila."

When they arrived back at the table, Hunk handed her over Sven. He made a quick stop at the bar for another beer before returning to the pool room. Romelle dropped into the seat next to Sven and gazed up at the man she loved as if they were the only two at the table. He definitely returned the unspoken sentiment. Leaning closer, he whispered something into her ear that made her giggle madly.

Allura averted her eyes from the intimate scene and sipped her drink as her eyes wondered to the crowd around them. Lance was still sitting at the table next to them, flirting with one of the girls. She had jet black hair that hung past her shoulders and accentuated the largest pair of green eyes that she had ever seen. She was hanging on Lance's every word, giggling loudly every now and then. For his part, Lance looked as if he wanted to eat her alive. Allura sighed. Only one man had ever looked at her like that, and that man was a sociopath who had just been locked away for the rest of his life. She wondered what it would be like to have someone look at her that way who didn't make her want to throw up. Absently she glanced at Keith who was now talking with Sven. Every now and again she thought that she saw him looking at her that way but it was so fleeting that most of the time she was sure she had imagined it.

Her gaze wandered to the dance floor where several couples were moving in rythem with a slow paced beat. She spotted Deirdre dancing with some man she had met at the bar while she was ordering drinks. The dance was very friendly.

Shuffling at her own table returned her attention. Sven was standing, supporting the intoxicated Romelle on his arm. Keith had also risen from his seat.

"I think it is time to get the Princess to bed." Sven announced to noone in particular.

Romelle snorted. "Bed, right." Then fell into another fit of laughter.

"You two have fun." Lance called from the other table, raising his glass. There was an uproar at his table when another round of shots arrived. Lance and each of the girls grabbed for a glass before tipping them unceremoniously back.

Keith shook his head. "I think I'm going to take off as well."

"You're going to bed?" Allura was more than just a little disappointed that he was going to be leaving. Especially because she would now be at the table all by herself.

"I was think of heading to the gym. Get in a workout before bed."

Lance snorted. "You're seriously going to go workout? After the day we've had?"

"It helps me unwind."

The blond at Lance's table leered at Keith from where she was sitting. "I think that a man who takes care of his body his sexy." Her words were slurred but it was obvious that she was trying to sound unsuccessfully seducive. Keith seemed too preoccupied with getting his jacket on to notice.

"Easy, Kitten." Lance said. "That one is unofficially spoken for."

She pouted her shiny lips. "What does that mean?"

"It's a long story." Lance took a sip of his drink. "Trust me."

Allura was trying in vain to ignore the conversation, but it made her jump to action just the same. "Keith, would you like some company? I could use some pointers on my hand to hand techniques."

For some reason that she could not explain Lance began laughing so hard that he spit his drink out all over the table. Keith glared at him as if he could really burn a hole into his head. Lance ignored him and turned to the task of cleaning up his mess.

Keith glanced at Allura who was clearly confused by the whole incident. "Sure. I'd like some company."

"Great!" She stood up. "Let me go change, and I'll meet you at the gym in ten minutes."

_**Eight minutes and fifty-three seconds later**_...

Being that it was almost nine o'clock at night, the hallways of the hotel were fairly empty as Allura suspected the gym would be. As she moved through corridor, she could see the light from the open door of the hotel gym. She could see Keith's shadow moving fluidly on the walls outside. Quietly as she could she walked to the door and peered in. Keith was in the middle of the room his arms and legs moving gracefully around him in a series of fluid punches and kicks while he performed his kata. Allura couldn't help but stare at his perfect form moving through the motions as if he didn't even have to think about it. It wasn't the first time Allura had encountered him during his practice, but it always felt like it, and the familiar feeling of respect and admiration that she felt never ceased to amaze her.

Finishing his final moves, he bowed low seemingly to noone and straightened up, aknowledging her for the first time. As their eyes met, she could feel that he had known that she was there the entire time and the knowledge made her blush slightly. But she kept her head high and her expression nuetral as she skipped inside the room, dropping her towel carelessly on the floor. "Sorry I'm late." She said smiling broadly.

He wiped his damp brow with his own towel and glanced at the clock. "Actually, you're early."

"Oh. So I am. Where shall we start?"

"I was thinking we should continue to practice your defensive postures before we move on to some more advanced offensive strategies."

"Your the teacher."

Keith smiled at her as he moved to stand in front of her causing her heart to skip ever so slightly. There was rarely a time when she was treated to such acts from the normally serious and stoic commander. And they were mostly reserved for those occasions when they were alone. It was good to see his face relaxed. He even seemed somewhat happy. She stared wide eyed up at him, willing him to move closer. He did, but not like she had envisioned. He grabbed her wrist, spun her around and pulled her back up against him wrenching her arm behind her. His other hand snaked around her neck. The pressure wasn't painful but just enough to limit her movements.

"Well?" He said in her ear. "Are you going to try to get free?"

Once the surprise passed, Allura struggled against his grip, trying to break his hold. Nothing seemed to work. "I can't." She finally gasped.

"The first thing you've got to do," Keith kept his strong hold on her as she tried to struggle. "is not panic. Keep a level head. Find your options. Remember your training."

Allura took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Suddenly she remembered a tip that Hunk had given her when she first started training. A hostage is only a good as their mobility. Letting out a loud breath, Allura relaxed her muscles and went slack in Keith's arms. She felt the pressure on her throat tighten as her body went limp and he instinctively grabbed her harder to keep her from falling. Keith paniced briefly in surprise, no doubt he thought he had hurt her, as she grew heavy. She felt his grip loosen and look the opportunity to step hard down on the inside of his foot. He grunted and finally let go of her. She spun around, swept her leg behind his and knocked it out from under him. Without thinking, he reached out to grab her before he toppled backwards, pulling her on top of him as they both crashed to the floor.

Her head shot up, and the princess found herself nose to nose with the commander, staring into his very surprised eyes. Both were breathing heavily while their hearts pounded from the adrenaline. His face was flushed and she knew that hers was turning bright pink. "How was that?" was all she could manage.

Keith swallowed hard, trying to catch his breath. "Good. That was really good. Although," he noted their compromising position. "I think Nanny would have a coronary if she saw us like this."

They both laughed, but neither seemed ready to fix their current situation. Allura suddenly felt another sensation that put the adrenaline rush to shame. Her eyes flickered down to his lips struck by a sudden urge to kiss him. Embarrassed by her own thoughts, she rolled abruptly and sat up next to him, turning her head as a new blush stained her cheeks. Had she been looking, she would have seem the slight disappointment that flickered across Keith's face before pushing himself up to stand. He held a hand out to her and pulled her to her feet. They stood for a moment, looking at each other.

"You're getting better, Princess." He finally said. Then suddenly his face darkened, and he frowned deeply. His hand shot up to push a piece of her hair away from her neck. He swore under his breath.

Allura looked worried as he stared at her. "What?" She stepped away from him and moved to the wall sized mirror at the far side of the room. Tilting her head back, she saw a wide red band that had appeared around her throat where Keith's hand had been. It looked as if parts of it, the parts on either side of her neck where his fingers had held her, might actually bruise. "That? That's nothing." She looked at his reflection where he stood in the same place she had left him. Concern was etched all over his face. She moved back to him. "Your grip tightened for a moment when I went slack. It wasn't your fault."

His eyes narrowed at her, and all the light hearted joking was now a distant memory as she felt the guilt and regret suck any remaining jovality out of the room. "I'm sorry, Princess."

Now she was beginning to get miffed at him. "Oh, please," she said, raising an eyebrow. "I've gotten worse bruises getting in and out of blue lion. It's no big deal, Keith."

Keith's jaw ticked as he gazed at the red marks, already turning dark. "I think that's enough for tonight." Before she could protest, he grabbed his towel and his bag and made a hasty exit from the room. Allura started to follow him, but stopped at the door, watching his retreating figure darken in the corridor. She leaned heavy on the doorframe and let out a frustrated sigh.

"For every step we take forward, we take two back."

**Chapter six: The morning after. Plus, three of our heroes are going to get into some hot water, and a rescue mission will be in order :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Glad you're back! I must be doing something right if you're still with me. This chapter actually went a little astray as I was writing it, but I hope you enjoy it. Please R&R!**

The alarm, courtesy of Keith's watch and communicator, blared loudly in his ear. He groaned loudly and tried to mute it in the dark. But it was too late. The damage was done. He was awake. It had been so long since he had actually allowed himself to sleep past 5:30 that he had forgotten to disable it before he had gone to bed the night before. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and sat up, immediately regretting the quick movement when a stabbing pain shot through his temple.

He held his head gingerly and wondered how in the hell he had ended up with a headache. A hangover was not physically possible when he had only had two drinks in the lounge that night. Perhaps the events of the past few days had suddenly caught up with him. Or perhaps it was the noisy neighbor that had kept him up most of the night. He glared at the wall to his left. Lance's room was just on the other side. He silently cursed his second in command and his late night antics as he finally got to his feet and made his way to the bathroom. Maybe a hot shower would help ease the throbbing pain in his head.

The steaming hot water from the shower did help to ease the pain in his head and the mounting tension building in his shoulders. As if the past four years could be magically washed away, the shower seemed almost like a cleansing ritual. But for all that, in the back of his mind, Keith still had a nagging voice whispering to him. Now that they had finished giving their statements, and now that they were done with Lotor and his malicious antics, Keith had tried to convince himself that there was nothing more to worry about. He had failed miserably. There was still a mole in the Alliance, and although the team seemed to be in the clear now that Lotor was incarceratied and no longer in their custody, there was no evidence that they were completely safe.

Wrapped in a robe with his hair still dripping, he padded into the kitchenette. It was no surprise to find it empty. It was only six o'clock, and he was the only one of them that had the irrestiable urge to be up a such an hour. Regardless, he turned on the coffee pot and took in the newspaper that had been left outside the door. As he glanced across the hall, he wondered if the others were up yet. Romelle was still most certainly still sleeping off the previous evening, and since Lance had been entertaining until an ungodly hour, Keith knew that Sven had stayed with her. Having no idea what had become of Deirdre after he left, but knowing her well enough to know that she had most certainly tied one one the night before, he surmised that she was still asleep too. Then there was Allura.

More than likely, Allura had been up late into the evening fuming over his actions. He couldn't really blame her for being upset with his behavior. The thing that he couldn't bring himself to explain to her was that he couldn't help it. It was a catch-22 for him. Allura was one of the strongest women that he had ever known. She had stood up amist the rubble of her kingdom, accepted the reign, and had almost completely turned it back into a thriving, peaceful place once again. She was no longer the naive young girl that he had pledged his loyalty to in a crumbling castle four years earlier. She had seen more evil than any one person should ever have to endure. She could handle anything that they threw at her, including a couple of bruises from combat training. On the flip side of the coin, Keith, and he knew the others as well, had an overwhelming urge to protect her at all costs. They never wanted to see their Princess in pain, and each of them would lay down his life to keep that from happening.

He closed the door again and shrugged. Well, there really wasn't anything he could do about it, so she would just have to be pissed.

With that behind him, he poured a cup of coffee for himself. Without glancing at the front page, he opened the newspaper right to the sports page. A little known fact about Keith, with the exception of those closest to him, he was a huge sports fan. Any sport. From college football to curling. He frowned when he saw that one of his favorite college teams had lost to their long time rivals in overtime. Skimming the article, he was made painfully aware that he had been gone for four years. He did not recognize a single name on either of the teams. And his favorite team had gotten a new coach. Go figure.

An opening door made him look up. Hunk poked his head out of the door and glanced around before deciding that it was safe to come out in his boxers.

"Mornin Chief." He greeted Keith with an almost annoying smile as he pawed around in the cabinets for a coffee cup and then filled it with hot liquid.

"Good morning." Keith returned. "How'd you sleep?"

"Would've slept better if Lance could keep his sexual exploits to himself rather than the ear splitting screeches that I listened to most of the night."

Keith nodded. "Yeah, I think I'm gonna have to have a talk with him about that." He grumbled.

Sven finally made his way back accross the hall, looking as if he had a long night as well. But from the expression on his face, it wasn't the kind that he would complain about. It was two more hours before Lance finally made an appearance. He walked into the room with a certain swagger and a stupid grin plastered on his face.

"Good morning all." He exclaimed as he plopped down in the overstuffed armchair.

Hunk snickered. "Yeah, from the sounds coming from your room last night, I guess it is a good morning."

Running his hand through his hair in a vain attempt to tame it down, Lance gave him a smug grin. "You heard that, huh?"

"We all did, Lance." Keith sneered. The man didn't even have sense enough to be embarrassed. "And it would be much appreciated if the next time you bring some random girl back to your room, you remember that there are other people sleeping here."

"Yeah, yeah, alright. I apologize if I kept you up last night, Chief."

Sven grinned devishly at him. "So? Which one did you bring back? That brunette was hanging all over you, but I thought you were always partial to blonds."

Laughing loudly, Lance shrugged. "Actually neither of them. Marie, the brunette, ended up puking all over the bathroom so her friends had to get her out of there."

Hunk and Sven glanced at each other before giving him a pair of confused looks. Before Lance could give them any details, the phone buzzed. Sven, who was leaning on the kitchen counter closest to the phone reached over and hit the intercom. "Hello."

"Sven?" Allura's voice drifted into the air. "Hi. Um, listen, I was wondering if any of you have seen Deirdre. She never came back to the room last night. Should I be worried?"

The room was silent as all eyes landed on Lance. He grinned largely and only shrugged. Keith narrowed his eyes at him before walking to the intercom. "Don't worry, Allura. I know where she is. She's fine."

There was a pause. "Oh," Allura sounded unsure how to respond. "Okay, well, we were supposed to go to breakfast this morning, so if you talk to her, will you please tell her I was looking for her."

"Sure." Keith said flatly.

"Thanks." The click on the line indicated that she had hung up.

Keith, Sven, and Hunk continued to stare at Lance, apparently waiting for an explaination. "What? Oh yeah, like any of you are really suprised."

It was true. It was common knowledge that after Keith and Deirdre had split up that she and Lance had started a, for lack of a better word, fling. It had been a strictly casual relationship that only happened when neither of them were occupied with anyone else at that particular moment. None of the others had ever quite figured out how they made it work and were still able to remain friends. But it never seemed to faze them.

It was at that moment that Lance's door opened a second time and Dierdre sauntered out. She was clad only in Lance's old hockey jersey and a pair of his shorts that hung loosely around her hips. Her clothes from the night before were bundled securely under her arm.

The term 'walk of shame' held absolutely no water with Dierdre as she strutted across the room, slinging wet braids from side to side. "Morning, boys."

"Morning, Dee." Hunk said, grinning at her.

Sven also smiled at her. "Good morning."

Keith offered no smile, however, as she passed by him. "Allura's looking for you."

"Yeah, I told her and Romelle that I would take them to breakfast this morning." She made her way to the door.

"Hey," Lance called from his seat. "I want that jersey back!"

"Yeah, yeah...don't worry. I don't like the Blackhawks anyway. I'm a Red Wings fan myself." She opened the door and walked out into the hallway. "See you guys later." With a smile and wave, she closed the door.

After a moment of silence, Keith finally turned on Lance. "You never change, do you?" The accusation was about as serious as Keith could make it. And that was pretty serious. "What the hell are you thinking?" He growled loudly.

"What?" Lance was more than a little irritated at Keith's reaction. "So, it would have been okay if I brought one of those 'random' girls back with me, but since it's Dee you're getting all high and mighty on me?"

The fact that Lance could not immediately understand why he was upset made Keith's anger escalate. "You just don't get it! We are still trying to find out who the mole in Galaxy Garrison is! Getting your rocks off is one thing. But you and Deirdre screwing around like two horney teenagers complicates things."

"Are you serious? How in the hell does us having a little fun 'complicate things'?"

"We're not in the Academy anymore! You know how I feel about teammates having relationships! Getting emotionally involved puts everyone on the team in danger!"

Finally, Lance stood up. Understanding finally dawned in his expression. Unfortunately, it wasn't the kind of understanding that Keith was trying to get across to him. "I get it now. You're jealous."

"Uh oh." Hunk, who had been watching quietly with Sven in the kitchenette, was beginning to see the situation escalating to an out of control level.

"What?" Keith couldn't have been more surprised at the statement if Lance had stripped down to his skivvies and did a jug to make his point. "You're out of your mind. You know that I never gave a shit about you two screwing like rabbits everytime you got drunk together. But there comes a time when you have to grow up and take responsibility for your actions."

Lance sauntered over to stand in front of Keith. "I wasn't talking about Deirdre. You're jealous because of everyone in this room," he pointed to Hunk and Sven for emphasis, "you're the only one not getting any. And we all know why."

The air seemed to be sucked out of the room as Keith and Lance stood toe to toe, staring at each other. Hunk and Sven unconsiously moved out from behind the counter to stand behind the pair. If things came to blows, and it wouldn't be the first time for the two of them, Sven and Hunk mentally prepared themselves to step in.

Keith's eyes visibly darkened as he narrowed them at his second in command. There was no mistaking the threatening expression on his face. When he spoke again, his voice was a low, gutteral growl. "Lance, I'm going to suggest that you think your next words over carefully."

There was no way in hell that Lance was going to let Keith intimidate him. He may as well spell it out for the commander. The sooner he did, the sooner they could all stop tip-toeing around the subject. He raised a defiant chin to his friend. "You're not getting laid, because you're too chicken shit to make your move."

For Sven and Hunk, what happened next was kind of a blur. Keith's lightening fast reflexes were too much for Lance to dodge as a fist came out of nowhere and connected with his jaw. He staggered back, catching hold of the kitchen counter to keep himself upright. It was no secret that while Lance could out manuver Keith in the air any day of the week, Keith was definitly the better fighter. And Lance knew well enough that his friend had pulled that punch. Had he wanted to seriously injure Lance, he could have easily broken his jaw and left him a bleeding heap on the floor before even Hunk or Sven could intervene. As it was, Sven had finally stepped in to reign Keith in while Hunk put a warning hand on Lance's shoulder. For his part, Lance had no intention of attacking Keith with force. He had deserved that punch.

Whether the fight would have escalated would remain a mystery when Pidge's door flew open and hustled quickly into the room. He went straight for the remote control to the TV and turned it on. "You guys gotta see this."

The disagreement was forgotten as the four men gathered around Pidge to find out what the emergency was. Pidge flipped through the channels until he found what he was looking for. It was a 24 hour news network that had taken time away from the latest celebrity scandle to cover a special report.

A tiny blond with too much make-up stood in front of Galaxy Garrision headquarters. "They are not allowing non-military visitors inside at this time. Once again, we are waiting outside of Galaxy Garrison headquarters where General Graham has been found dead in his office this morning. There are rumors that there is foul play suspected, although that has not been confirmed, and no suspects have been named yet. We are waiting for a representative from Galaxy Garrison to make a statement. Stay tuned."

"Holy shit." Lance breathed as he sat back down in the chair that he had previously occupied.

Pidge muted the TV and turned to the others. No one said anything and the silence in the room was deafening. A loud wrap on the door made all of them jump. Not knowing how much more he could take that morning, Keith moved quickly to the door. His mood fell even more when he opened it to find Allura standing in front of him. For a moment she looked as if she had a smile on her face, but it quickly disappeared when she saw Keith.

"Good morning, Keith."

He nodded. "Princess." He knew that she hated it when he called her that, but he wasn't in the mood to indulge her at the moment.

His formal address of their teammate was not lost on any of the others either. Lance raised an eyebrow as he looked from one to the other. Keith stepped back to allow her access, but she stayed in the doorway. "We're going to breakfast. Anyone want to join us?"

When none of them answered, she seemed to sense that something was wrong. "What is it?" 

"General Graham was found dead in his office this morning." Keith's voice was so low that had she not been standing so close to him, she would have missed it.

Her hand went to her mouth as she gave an involuntary gasp. "What happened? D-Do you think it has anything to do with the mole at Garrison?" She was moritified at the idea that something they may have done had led to Graham's death.

"We don't know yet. But I think that we should go to HQ and find out what's going on."

Allura nodded. "That's a good idea. I'll get Romelle and Deirdre."

"Wait."

She stopped mid step to look at him, but she had a sneaking suspicion that she already knew what he was going to say. She shook her head defiantly. "No you don't, Keith. Not this time. You are not leaving me behind this time. This is too important."

"Allura, I have no intention of arguing about this with you. You, Romelle, and Deirdre are staying here." To make his point, he turned away from her and followed the path to his room. On his way, he addressed his team. "We leave in 15."

Allura's face flushed red as the anger became apparent in her expression. "You do not order me about, Commander!" She called to his back as he disappeared into his room. "I am NOT your subordinate!"

It was Lance who made his way to stand in front of her. "Allura,"

"What happened to your face?"

He was taken aback momentarily when she abruptly addressed the forgotten injury that Keith had left during their argument. "I slipped in the shower." He lied. No way in hell was he going to tell her why he and Keith had come to blows. Things were tense enough as it was. He did notice, however, the light shade of purple that adorned her neck. "My question is, what's that?"

Her hand flew up to her throat where he had indicated. She shook her head. "Nothing. Just an indication that I need more practice at hand to hand combat." She gave them a small smile.

Lance watched her for a moment then it became clear why Keith had been in such a foul mood that morning. While none of them thought Allura to be a porcelain doll that was easily broken, it was still difficult for them when she got injured or marred in any way. They recognized the hypocrisy of it all. If Lance had been standing there with a bruised neck, Keith would have most likely viewed it as a victory for himself. But Allura was differnt, and they all knew it. However, this was neither the time nor the place to contimplate the enigma that was Keith and Allura. "Allura, you need to let us handle this."

The anger flashed back in her eyes. Most of the time it was directed at Keith, but this time, Lance felt as if she would set fire to him at any moment. He placed his hands on her arms to calm her. "They are not letting civilians inside. Only military personelle. There is nothing that any of you can do, but wait outside. That would be too dangerous. I'm sure Romelle and Deirdre will agree with me."

To his surprise, she didn't start on another tangent about how they would not tell her what to do. Instead, she calmly removed his hands from her arms. "You know what? I...have...HAD IT WITH THE WHOLE LOT OF YOU!" It was rare that Allura truely lost her temper, but she apparently had been pushed over her limit of rationale. Sven, Hunk, and Pidge all went rigid at the outburst. "You are all a bunch of hypocrits! And I am done!" She turned on her heel and stomped back across the hall.

"Allura!" Lance tried to call her back.

She turned sharply to look at him. "You can all go...SCREW YOURSELVES!" With that, she slammed her door closed leaving three slack jawed pilots in her wake.

Lance closed the door behind him and looked at his friends, gingerly rubbing his chin. "You know what? I just don't know how much more of this I can take today."

Pidge, who had missed most of the activity that morning, looked around the room, thouroughly confused. "Did I miss something?"

Twenty minutes later, without any more altercations with Allura, the Voltron pilots, along with Sven, had taken a taxi into downtown Freetown. At the insistence of Hunk's rumbling stomach, they had been let out in front of a donut shop just four blocks from Galaxy Garrison headquarters. Hunk and Pidge had gone inside to get breakfast, while Keith, Lance, and Sven waited outside.

Sven was talking into his communicator with Romelle, so Lance sauntered over to Keith who was leaning thoughtfully against the brick building. Shoving his hands in his pocket, he mimicked the commander's stance, resting his back against the wall.

"Are you still mad at me for hooking up with Dee?"

Keith looked at him and a trace of amusement danced across his lips. "You still mad at me for hitting you?"

Lance shrugged. "Naw, I kinda deserved that."

His answer was a nod. And with that, the argument was over. "I just don't get you and Deirdre. I mean, why is it always just 'hooking up?' Why didn't the two of you ever date?" 

"I don't know. It was always just more convienient to leave it at that. Besides, you're the one who's always telling me that I am emotionally stunted."

A small laugh escaped Keith's lips. He and Deirdre had had a turbulent relationship at best. She was nearly right when she said that he couldn't handle her. She was a spit fire who lived and loved hard. Unfortunately, she got bored quickly and never faired well with long term commitments. "Yeah, I guess you and she are two of a kind."

Lance was about to respond, but was cut off by the sound of squealing tires. They turned to the street just in time to see an unmarked, black van screeching to a halt in front of them. Things fast forwarded quickly when two men in black jumped from the van wielding rifles in their direction. Without warning they grabbed a hold of both pilots and began shoving them toward the van.

"What the hell?" Keith demanded.

"Shut up!" The taller of the two men yelled. "Get in the van!"

"You've got to be joking." Lance quipped.

"Hey!" Sven yelled as he began running their direction.

"Sven, look out!"

The call was too late. Another man jumped out of the van and clocked Sven in the back of the head with the butt of his rifle. Sven crumpled to the ground.

Inside the donut shop, Hunk with his arms already full, waited for Pidge to finish paying for breakfast. He turned toward the door just in time to see two men, through the glass, loading a listless Sven into the back of a van.

"Pidge!" He barked, dropping his load and sprinting toward the door. The yelling cashier was lost to them as they flung open the door just as the van was pulling away from the curb. They watched, helpless, as their friends disappeared amidst the morning traffic.

**Chapter 7: The remaining members of the team scramble to rescue Keith, Sven, and Lance. Plus, more about the conspiracy will be revealed as they start digging into General Graham's death. Things are going to start moving along at a faster pace from here on out. **

**A point to note, I do prefer to write T rated fiction for my own reasons, but most of the time, I also write scenes that I leave out to keep a T rating (wink, wink). If anyone is interested in deleted scenes, like how Lance and Deirdre made it out of the bar and into the sack, please let me know and I will be happy to post some of them under the M rating section. There will be more instances when this might come up. You will know when that happens (another wink, wink) :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Thanks for all the love on that last chapter. You guys make me feel all warm and squishy. Hope you like this one just as much. The team is about to see a little action. Cheers.**

"Rah!" From where she sat in the common room of their suite, Allura tossed the magazine that she had been reading across the room, nearly missing Romelle as she walked out of the kitchenette with a steaming cup of tea.

"Easy, Allura." her cousin scolded.

The Princess of Arus got to her feet and began pacing between the couch and the armchair. "I am so sick of those guys running off and leaving me behind. I am part of this team too, damn it! Wait a minute," she stopped in her tracks, "I'm the head of this team. Well, not literally the head. Keith's the head. You know what I mean! But there wouldn't BE a Voltron if it weren't for me. And I am always the first one sidelined!" Allura seemed to be fuming at no one in particular. She began pacing again.

"What exactly do you think you would accomplish by going with them?" Romelle settled in the armchair opposite of where her cousin was pacing. "They wouldn't let you on base anyway. Try to relax."

Finally, she stopped pacing and dropped into the chair. "I'm sorry. I know I sound like a spoiled child. It just irritates me to no end that they think so little of me. Like I have nothing to contribute. I have proven myself time and again how valuable I am to this team. Sure, I've done some dumb stuff like stealing Black Lion and there was that time when I thought my father was a lion talking to me."

"Don't forget about Prince Bocar." Romelle added.

Allura glared at her. "Thanks for the reminder. How could I possibly forget that psychopath?" She sighed in frustration. "But that was years ago. Surely they've gotten over that by now."

"Maybe I can offer some insight." Deirdre appeared in the doorway that led to her bedroom. She picked up the magazine where Allura had tossed it and sank down on the couch between the two armchairs."

"These kinds of missions – recon missions – are what they have been trained for since they were in the Academy. Something they probably never told you, is that they are not just soldiers to Galaxy Garrison. They are members of an elite force that, generally, are sent in to clean up when the Garrison screws up." She discarded the magazine on the coffee table and leaned forward so that her elbows rested on her knees. "If you remember, Allura, they were not even suppose to be a part of the Arus assignment four years ago. The only reason they got involved is because they were looking for me. It was totally accidental that they ended up as the pilots of the lions."

"No, it wasn't." Allura said softly. "They were chosen by Voltron. It was fate."

"Either way, at the time, they had been preparing for an undercover mission off planet. The plans were classified so I have no idea what that mission was. But it was not to follow an unknown Princess to her planet to take control of a legendary robot to defend the galaxy."

Allura was unmoved by Deirdre's speech. "What does that have to do with this?"

"They have been trained to work cohesively as a team to get the job done."

"We are a team." Allura insisted. She would not be discounted because she hadn't received special training from the Garrison Academy.

Romelle, who had been listening quietly, was more objective. "I think what she's trying to say, Allura, is that here, on Earth, they are more effective as their own team."

"Exactly." Deirdre said. "It's nothing personal. Trust me."

The princess sat back and seemed to be thinking it over. It did make sense they were more comfortable working without her on a non-Voltron mission. Maybe she was taking it too personally. After all, she was definitely an important part of the Voltron Force. They put their lives in her hands every time they went into the sky together as she trusted her life to them. Still, she wished they wouldn't treat her like a porcelain doll. On the other hand, it was nice to know that they cared enough to look out for her. And she hated being angry with them. After all, they had come to her planet and saved her people. And they had stayed and helped rebuild. They were an exceptional group of men, and she would always be grateful that Voltron had chosen them.

Her revery was cut short by the soft beep that echoed from the communicator on Allura's wrist. She tapped on it lightly. "Yes?"

"Allura," Hunk's concerned voice penetrated the silence.

"Hunk what's wrong?"

"We've got a bit of a situation here. I think that Keith, Sven, and Lance just got arrested. Sort of."

"What?" Allura jumped out of her seat like she'd been burned.

"Yeah, some guys in a black van pulled up, jacked the guys and took off."

"Black van?" Deirdre was already shrugging into her jacket, fumbling around in one of the pockets.

"Yep." Hunk's voice was solemn.

Allura looked desperately at Deirdre. "What does that mean?"

"Black Ops means that its an unofficial mission." Hunk explained. "These guys will make Keith, Sven, and Lance disappear."

"But why?" Romelle finally found her voice.

The day was going from bad to worse. Allura pinched the bridge of her nose. This could not be happening. This was not going to happen. They were the Voltron Force, the saviors of an entire galaxy, damn it. And they would not be taken without a fight. Allura straightened her shoulders and set her jaw. "After we've gotten them back, then we'll ask questions." The princess was in full command mode now. "Hunk, can Pidge contact them?"

"Our communications with them have been blocked." Pidge's voice was tense as it came over the intercom. "But I've unscrambled the signal enough to track them. They're still moving."

She darted her eyes to Deirdre who was already holding up her car keys. It suddenly became very apparent why Keith had chosen to call her for help. "Can you send the signal to my comm?"

"Sure."

Deirdre and Romelle were already at the door. "Let's go!"

"Allura," Hunk was back. "what are you going to do?"

The question echoed in the silent room as the three women looked at each other with resolve. "We're going to get them." Allura replied with conviction.

################

Still in front of the do-nut shop, Hunk looked at Pidge who nodded somberly. "Alright," the bigger man said. "Be careful."

"Hunk," Deirdre called. "is there any way the two of you can rendezvous with us?"

"We would love to, Dee, but, unfortunately, we have been left without a car, and I highly suspect that any cab would be opposed to tracking down a..." Hunk stopped as he gazed at the curbside. "Hold on a sec, I think I may have just found us a ride."

On the curb about a half a block from where they stood rested two racing bikes. Both were a sleek black with colored accents. One was yellow, the other was green. Hunk smiled at Pidge who got a decidedly wicked look on his face and Hunk could tell that they were thinking the same thing. Someone, or something, was giving them a sign.

"Ladies," Hunk said into his comm, "you go on and find the guys. We'll be meeting up with you shortly."

################

"Go right!" From the backseat, Allura barked directions to Deirdre as she thrust the stick shift into a higher gear, maneuvering the Charger through the mid morning traffic. Fortunately, morning rush hour was over so there were not too many other vehicles on the road. Allura eyed her PDA, watching the blinking light on the grid. On the tiny screen, the van looked as if it should be right in front of them, when in reality, Allura knew, they were miles away. "It looks like they're on some sort of large road way." She tilted it in the driver's direction.

Deirdre barely glanced at it before putting her eyes on the road. Traveling at the speed they were going took a titanic amount of focus. "Looks like they're taking the old highway out of the city. If we don't find them soon, they could end up anywhere."

"Do you think we can?" The uncertainty in Romelle's voice gave Allura pause. Romelle was never one to worry. At least, not that Allura had ever seen. As she watched her cousin in the front, passenger seat, it was clear that she was distraught.

"OF course, we are going to find them, Romelle."

Once they hit the highway, it was a straight shot to the van, assuming that they didn't get off somewhere, the car fell silent. Even with the windows closed, Allura could hear the rushing wind outside of the car. They were traveling very fast, and if she hadn't been so used to high speeds in the air, it probably would have bothered her. She frowned and listened harder as the sound seemed to be getting louder. One glance at the speedometer told her that they hadn't accelerated. She sat up and, while looking around, and object caught her eye in the side mirror. By the time she realized what it was, her comm began chirping at her.

She tapped it. "Hello?"

"Hey, hey," Hunk said. "Told ya we'd make it to the party."

"Holy crap." Deirdre breathed as she stared into the rear view mirror.

They turned to the back of the car to see two black motorcycles coming up on them fast. Although they had helmets on, the large rider looked fairly comfortable while the smaller rider held on to the handlebars like he would fly off any minute. They were unmistakeably Hunk and Pidge.

"Welcome aboard, gentleman."

"Nice wheels." Deirdre interjected.

"Thanks. We borrowed them." Hunk explained. "I hope you ladies have a plan." The three women looked at each other blankly. There had been such a sense of urgency when they left the hotel that they hadn't really discussed what they would do after they found the van. "Hello?" Hunk's voice questioned again.

Allura took a deep breath. She hated not having a plan. While she was certainly capable of improvising when need be, she usually left the fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants approach to Lance. The Princess of Arus preferred order. Order was not nearly what she had now. "Um, Hunk, we're going to have to get back with you on that one." She clicked off her receiver and looked from Deirdre to Romelle in the front seats. "Anyone have an idea?"

"This is your BBQ, Princess." Deirdre said, and although she had no idea what exactly it meant, Allura was sure that it left her in charge.

She leaned against the backseat, frustrated. "I wish we had some weapons."

Deirdre grinned. "Why didn't you say so. Pull down the backseat. It leads directly into the trunk."

Allura did as instructed and yanked the back rest of the seat down. A light blinked on as it folded down, giving her a good view of the contents of the trunk. "Wow." was all she could say.

"Anything inspiring?" Deirdre asked.

The princess looked up from the trunk to the ladies in the front seat. "I think I have an idea."

"Good, cause I think we've caught up to our van."

###################

"Let us out of here, damn it!" Lance banged for the umpteenth time on the barrier wall between them and the front of the van. "We didn't do anything!"

From his vantage point sitting on the floor, Sven shook his head at Keith sitting across from him. "They won't answer. They are Black Ops. Super soldiers. They are trained not to. And unless a nuclear attack happens, they won't stop this thing for anything."

The pilot of the Red Lion finally gave up and stalked to the far back of the van and stared out the window. He could tell by the sparse landscape that they were already miles out of Freetown. The four lane highway sped behind them at a hurried rate. There was no way to tell where they were being taken, but one thing was for sure: they were not going to be coming back. As he watched the asphalt disappear into the horizon, something caught his eye. It was moving toward them at an incredible speed, and it wasn't too long before he was able to identify the vehicle. Then the two smaller ones flanking the Charger. "Um, guys, you might want to come take a look at this." Keith and Sven joined him at the window. Lance turned to them and smiled. "Looks like the cavalry has arrived."

"Is that Deirdre's car?" Keith asked.

"Yep."

The trio watched as the car moved closer, but kept a slight distance. Then something happened. The top began to retract as the car turned into a convertible. Now they had a clear view of the passengers. Deirdre was driving, and Allura and Romelle were sitting in back.

Sven narrowed his eyes. "What are they doing?"

They watched as Allura stood up in the backseat while Romelle held her steady against the wind. She lifted something up to her shoulder, aiming it at the van. Realization dawned on all three of the men at the same time.

"Shit...!" Lance bellowed.

"Hit the deck!" Keith screamed as the three of them threw themselves toward the front of the van. They landed hard on the metal just in time to hear a thunderous roar just before the doors of the van were blown off their hinges.

###############

The Charger swerved, nearly sideswiping Pidge as Deirdre fishtailed to avoid the flying debris from the van. The three of them stared at the gaping hole in the back of the van. They could now see Keith, Lance, and Sven staring at them from the back.

"Well," Allura yelled over the sound of the wind whipping through the now open car. "that kind of worked."

"But they're not stopping the van." Romelle pointed out. It was true. If anything, the black van seemed to accelerate. "What now?"

Deirdre shrugged. "Plan B?"

"What the hell is plan B?" Romelle bellowed.

Allura nodded, frustration etched into her features. She suddenly felt as if she wanted to punch something. They hadn't discussed a plan B. She had no idea what Deirdre had in mind, but she knew that the driver had been in the military academy with her team. And Keith and the others seemed to put their utmost trust in her, something that was very difficult for them to do. And she was all out of ideas. She would have to trust Deirdre.

She quickly changed her mind, when Deirdre did something that Allura found to be incredibly stupid. She gently put her foot down on the gas petal and urged the car forward until it was almost touching the back bumper of the van.

Keith, Sven, and Lance watched as the car inched closer, even at the high speed that they were traveling.

"What the hell is she doing?" Lance wondered out loud.

Keith rubbed his chin. "I think she wants us to jump."

"I was afraid you were going to say that. Well," He turned to Keith and made a grand gesture. "Age before beauty, my friend."

"You're three weeks older than me, Lance." Keith reminded him.

His friend grinned at him. "You go first anyway."

The commander shook his head, but moved forward. The rushing wind and accelerated speed made it difficult to maneuver so he crouched as low as he could to reduce resistance. He finally made it to the opening in the van and looked out. Three tense expressions stared back at him from the car. There wasn't a very big gap between the two bumpers, and he wondered idly how Deirdre had managed to get so close and still remain in tandem with the van. He shook his head to clear it. Focus was what he needed at that moment. He took a deep breath and gazed out at the car once more, locking eyes with Allura, and he jumped.

He landed hard on the hood of the car, immediately catching the top of the windshield. Using the traction from his boots, he slowly walked his way up the hood until he could climb over the windshield. Even as he landed in the front seat, he quickly made his way to the back to make room for the others.

Lance was next. He made quick work of climbing over the windshield. He stood in the back seat and watched as Sven prepared to make his jump.

The Scandinavian was already at the edge of the van, preparing to make his move. He could see Deirdre in the front seat. In the back, he saw Romelle. The fear on her face was unmistakeable, and it broke his heart to see it. He resolved that once all of this was over, he was going to make Romelle his wife and reassure her that no matter what happened, he would always be with her. With those thoughts on his mind, he steeled himself and jumped.

At that moment, the unforeseen happened, as it usually does. The van, immediately followed by the Charger, ran over something large in the road causing them both lurch and fall out of sync. Sven heard a crack as his knee awkwardly hit the metal and felt a searing pain moving rapidly from his knee up his leg. He howled loudly, closing his eyes tight but managed to grab hold of the windshield with one hand. He was unable to keep traction on the hood causing his feet to flounder like a fish out of water. Even over the rushing wind in his ears, he heard the shrieks from the others, but one, in particular, called out to him.

"Sven! Open your eyes, damn it!"

He looked up to see Lance standing over him, leaning over the windshield, his hand outstretched. "You're going to have to help me here, pal!"

Despite the pain in his knee, Sven managed to swing his other arm up until his hand connected with Lance's, feeling the stabilization of his counterbalance.

"Climb!" Lance ordered.

With Lance's help, he was able to finally get traction with his good leg. His muscles strained as he pushed forward with his leg at the same time he was pulling on the windshield. He finally crawled his way to the top of the windshield. With one final pull, Lance yanked him over the top, sending him flying behind him. Keith caught him, and they both crashed into the backseat.

"Let's get out of here!" Lance ordered to the driver.

Deirdre nodded and, without warning, made her move. She stomped on the brake and jerked the wheel hard, sending the car careening into a wide arc, turning it 180 degrees into the other lane. The Charger fishtailed for a moment before she finally straightened her out. She threw the gear shift again and punched the gas, sending them well on their way in the opposite direction of the van.

"Nice work." Lance commented, still trying to catch his breath.

Deirdre's knuckles were as white as her face as she held the steering wheel in a death grip. She continued to stare ahead.

"Is everyone okay over there?" Hunk's voice came over the com. He and Pidge, having been made privy to the plan had also made the 180 turn and still flanked the Charger.

Glancing in the backseat from where he sat, Lance couldn't help but let out a loud laugh. The quartet in the back was a mangled mess of arms and legs. Sven was sprawled halfway across Allura's body, while Keith had managed to land face first in Romelle's lap.

"Yeah, I think everyone's okay." Lance chuckled.

A barrage of grunts and curses was let loose as they tried to right themselves, embarrassed blushes painting everyone's faces. In the end, Romelle and Allura were pushed to the outer windows of the backseat with Keith and Sven, respectively, sandwiched in between them. Allura tried to shift from her uncomfortable position, causing Sven to yelp loudly when she bumped his leg.

"I'm so sorry." She cried.

"It's alright." He ground through his teeth. "I think I may have cracked my kneecap. I'll be alright."

"Alright, Deirdre," Lance said, "I gotta ask. What the did Allura do to that van?"

"Sticky grenade." She said it as if it should be obvious. "Semtex."

"Okay, but where the hell did you get a grenade launcher?"

She finally relaxed a bit and smiled. "In my line of work, it's good to be prepared for most situations."

He stared at her. "What exactly have you been doing these last four years?"

"That's a story for another time, my friend."

Keith leaned forward, sticking his head between Lance and Deirdre. From the landscape, he could see that they were heading back toward Freetown. That would be a mistake. "We can't go back to Freetown." He said.

"We're not." Deirdre answered. "A friend of mine has a cabin about 30 miles on the other side of Freetown. I'll take about an hour to get there."

Lance raised his eyebrow. "Who's this friend?"

She smiled. "Richie. You remember Richie. From the Academy."

"Richie Vandersloot?" Lance snickered.

"Vanderlough." She corrected.

"Didn't you two date your Senior year?"

"Yep. Lasted about as long as Keith and I did."

Lance nodded. "And how does old Richie feel about you just showing up with a couple of intergalactic princesses and three men wanted by Garrison?"

She shrugged. "He lets me crash at his place when I'm in town. Besides, he won't be there. I contacted him just before we got to Earth. He's off planet for the next couple of weeks."

"You are the only person I know that can stay friends with all of your ex's."

She smiled. "I'm just good like that. There's a back road that only locals use anymore that goes completely around Freetown. We won't even have to go through the city."

Keith cleared his throat to get their attention. "The cabin's a good start. We need a quiet place to regroup." With that said, he leaned back, having to squeeze back between Sven and Romelle. Glancing at his watch, he grimaced. It wasn't even lunch time yet, and they had already been kidnapped and involved in a high speed pursuit. Hopefully the day wouldn't get any more exciting than that. But they definitely needed to get to the bottom of what was going on. A soft tap on his shoulder broke his train of thought. He turned to find Romelle blinking at him with her big, blue eyes.

"Um, Keith, I was wondering if you would mind switching places with Sven."

Keith raised an eyebrow. "Really?" He turned to look at Sven who merely shrugged. Letting out an irritated sigh, he nodded and pulled himself forward so that he was standing, giving Sven room to slide behind him next to Romelle. Keith dropped back into the seat next to Allura, elbowing her in the shoulder in the process.

"OW!" she cried out.

Keith's face burned with embarrassment. "Sorry," he muttered.

"Sven! I was so worried." Romelle cooed, brushing a stray hair out of his face. "Don't you ever do that to me again!"

Sven gave her a weak smile. "If I can help it, my love, I won't." He planted a small peck on her lips that turned into a longer, deeper kiss, causing Allura to turn and look out the window and Keith to stare straight ahead so that he could see the landscape out of the windshield.

To eliminate the awkward silence, Lance punched a couple of buttons on the stereo, bringing it to life. A slow paced love song sang over the speakers, causing him to wrinkle his nose. He reached up to change the station, but recoiled when his hand received a sound slap.

"Ow!" He rubbed the top of his hand. "What the hell was that for?"

Deirdre presented him with a very serious expression. "I'm driving. I pick the music."

"Fine!" Lance pouted. "But can we please listen to something else? Between Sven and Romelle making out in the backseat like it's their last day on Earth, which, ironically enough, it probably is, and that sad bastard music, I think I might just throw up."

She gave him a crooked smile and nodded in agreement. She tapped a button on the radio causing the love song to vanish and be replaced by a higher paced rock song with a catchy guitar riff. Lance smiled and began moving his head to the music.

"This is much better."

**Chapter 8: The team will be paying visits to some old friends. Plus, new information about Galaxy Garrison will come to light. **

**Hope you enjoyed this latest installment. If anyone's wondering, there is a back story to Deirdre's explanation at the beginning about how the pilots ended up on Arus in the first place (a revision, if you will). Probably going to do a prequel...eventually. I have to finish this saga first. Just call me the George Lucas of fan fiction LOL! Don't worry, I'll explain everything you'll need to know as we go along. **


	8. Chapter 8

**Deepest apologies for taking so long to get this sucker done. I really had to put it away for awhile in order to rethink the whole thing. The good news is that I know where the next chapter is going already so hopefully there will not be anymore extended lapses between uploads. I think this one turned out okay, but I would love to know what you think. Please R&R. **

**Thanks to everyone for sticking with me this far. Happy Easter! Cheers!**

* * *

><p>"Last stop before we get to the cabin." Deirdre announced as she parked the car in front of the convenience store and released her seatbelt.<p>

From where he sat next to her, Lance stretched his arms over his head before glancing in the back to see how the four crammed in the backseat were fairing. Romelle was tucked securely at Sven's side with his arm around her, both of them sleeping soundly. Keith was the only one still awake, but seemed less than comfortable with Allura turned into him with her head resting on his shoulder. She stirred and lifted her sleepy lids, blushing furiously as she recognized her own precarious position. Lance grinned at Keith.

Keith narrowed his eyes at him. "What?"

"Nothing." Lance shrugged, snickering as he opened the car door and stepped out. He fell into step with Deirdre as she made her way to the double glass doors of the building. "How much farther is the cabin?"

Deirdre stopped to allow Lance to open the door for her. "Only a few minutes or so. I figured we probably need to pick up some supplies."

Hunk grabbed the door as Lance followed her inside. The large man looked across the parking lot and saw nothing but woods. "Your buddy sure does live out in the middle of nowhere." He held the door as Keith and Allura filed in behind Lance. Pidge followed. Sven and Romelle waited in the car.

"Geez, Hunk, you act like you haven't eaten in weeks." Pidge teased as he eyed the three bags of chips, package of hotdogs, and case of sodas that the larger man dropped on the counter.

"Hey," Hunk rebuked, "we don't know how long we're going to be out at that cabin. Better to have too much food than to run out."

"Whatever." Pidge shook his head as he wound his way through the aisles of goods to the back of the store to the bathrooms.

The rest of the group made quick work of loading their baskets with groceries. The elderly man behind the counter turned off the small tv set he was watching, smiling graciously as they piled their goods on the counter in front of him.

"Where're you kids headed?" While he sounded as if he asked the question a dozen times a day, he was no less genuine in his curiosity.

Deirdre smiled at him. "A friend's cabin. Not too far from here."

"Just a little get away." Lance draped his arm around Deirdre's shoulders and gave the man a knowing smirk. The man grinned and gave Lance a wink of approval. Deirdre rolled her eyes. She was grateful when Keith and Allura finally made their way to the counter with more supplies.

With their goods stashed in the trunk with Deirdre's small arsenal, the group piled back into the car with Hunk and Pidge on the bikes. Once they were back on the road, silence fell among them, each staring out the window at the endless forest on either side of them. While it was only a little after noon, it had already a long day, and it had definitly taken its toll.

Allura shifted uncomfortably as she and Keith made an conscious effort to avoid touching each other. Things were awkward, to say the least, but she really did not have the time or the energy to ponder such things at the moment. There were too many unanswered questions. Between a traitor in Galaxy Garrison and General Graham's untimely dimise, Allura was afraid that the federation of planets that kept the peace in the known universe was coming apart at the seams. That could be mean rising tensions among the systems. Even all out war.

They finally turned off of the highway and onto a gravel road that seemed to lead them even deeper into nowhere. The tree line thickened, and if they didn't blink they could catch a glimpse of the local wildlife. Romelle squealed loudly as a doe and her fawn dashed across the road. Lance stared out the window and found himself getting lost in the lush foilage blurring across his vision. Being so far removed from the bustle of city, out where the land was nearly untouched, it was easy to begin to lose sight of the peril that had been following them since they had left Arus only two days prior. But if he wanted to be honest, trouble had been following them since they had stolen a Garrison cruiser to go in search of a missing Deirdre, only to be taken captive by Zarkon, then eventually landing on Arus and becoming the pilots of Voltron. He sighed loudly. That fateful day had begun a domino of events that had changed each of their lives forever.

In the back seat, Keith stared intently out the front window, his face set in stone. While everyone else pondered current situation, his mind had switched to command mode, which meant he was running numerous scenarios in his head, trying desperately to figure out a way to get them out of their current mess in one piece. He closed his eyes to ward off the impending headache. A sharp intake of breath from Allura snapped his eyes open. Turning to look at her, he saw her staring wide eyed out the front dash. Following her gaze, he saw that the road ended suddenly leading down an embankment to a large body water. The afternoon sun reflected brightly off of the smooth water reflecting the moutain of forest that stretched to the heavens just on the other side.

As they neared the edge of the water, Deirdre veered to the left onto a gravel drive, running parallel to the water. The drive wound around as lightly wooded area, leading to a two story cabin, nestled into the treeline just in front of the lake. The car pulled around the circle drive and came to a stop in front of the covered porch leading to the front door. Lance let out a low whistle.

"Looks like ol Mr. Vandersloot did pretty well for himself." He steeled himself for a least a punch in the arm from Deirdre. Surprisingly, she ignored the comment as cut the engine and opened the door.

"Door to door service." She announced, holding the door open as Allura climbed out, followed by Keith.

The living room was rustic and cozy with a large brick fireplace on the wall that separtated it from the kitchen. Once inside, the group let out a collective sigh. They were safe – for the moment. Romelle settled Sven on the couch in front of the fireplace. She propped up his knee before taking a seat on the floor next to him. From where she sat, she could see the lake out the french doors that led to the back yard. A fishing boat tied to the dock idled lazily, swaying with the ebb and flow and water. Romelle stared at the water and couldn't help think how wonderful things would be if it were just her and Sven, and they were at the cabin on a romantic getaway rather than running from the authorities.

While Hunk and Deirdre unloaded the groceries in the kitchen, Keith decided it was time to discuss their options. He stood in front of the group by the fireplace. As he looked at each one of them, he could see the tension on their faces. Pidge fell heavily into an oversized armchair, while Allura stood silently by the back door, staring out at the water. He took a deep breath.

"Alright, everyone. Time to get a plan together. Let's review where we're at."

Lance bristled from where he stood on the other side of the mantle. "Well, let's see. Someone offed General Graham and framed us for it. And let's not forget that someone, probably the same person, has been feeding intel to the Drules trying to get to Lotor. Does that about cover it?"

Allura felt her skin prickle at Lotor's name. With everything else going on, thoughts of him had been effectively pushed to the back of her mind. Now he was back, and somehow was involved in the mess they were in now. She snorted. _Figures_.

"Thanks for the recap, Lance." Keith said, solemnly. "So, what do we do about it?"

Sven, who had been silent since they had made their daring escape, winced as he adjusted on the couch. "What about Hawkins? Could we contact him?"

Keith nodded. As far as he knew, General Hawkins had always been the ideal officer, placing integrity and duty above all else. Keith had always looked up to him. He might be just the person they needed to tap.

"Hawkins retired three years ago." Pidge pointed out.

"Yeah," Keith responded. "But he still knows important people in Garrison. Maybe he knows something."

"Well," Lance pushed himself away from the mantle. "Let's go pay the old man a visit."

"Alright, Lance, you and I will go talk to Hawkins."

Hunk and Deirdre walked into the living room with a tray of steaming coffee cups.

"Pidge and I can go talk to Jeff." Hunk offered. "The Vehicle Voltron team might have heard something through the grapevine."

"Alright."

Pidge shifted in his seat. "I could hack into Graham's computer records. Maybe something there will tell us why he was killed. But I'll need my laptop."

Keith nodded in agreement, then took one more deep breath before facing the princess. "Allura."

Allura's back stiffened at the sound of her name. She narrowed her eyes at him as she stepped away from the backdoor and stalked over to where Keith stood. "No, not this time, Keith. You are not sidelining me now! If you think I'm just going to sit around while you guys try to figure out a way out of this mess, you're out of your mind!"

The air was sucked out of the room as the team watched Keith and Allura standing toe to toe, glaring at each other. The tension was palpable. Keith closed his eyes and counted to three before opening them to meet her angry gaze.

"I was going say," he kept his voice low and controlled, even as he wanted to throttle Allura for acting like a spoiled brat. "I want you to go back to the hotel to get a few essentials that we left in the rooms. Like Pidge's laptop."

Allura was taken aback, and she flushed with embarrassment. "Oh." Her voice fell. "Okay."

"You and Deirdre can get around the city more efficiently than any of us can."

Lance snorted. "Yeah, concidering we're wanted for murder, and you're not." Deirdre, who had somehow moved to stand next to the Red Lion pilot, elbowed him in the ribs. "Ow, you know, you really need to stop that!" He ground at her.

"Hunk and Pidge should be able to move around fairly easily too. They were with us when we got arrested, but Black Ops left them alone. I think the two of you are in the clear."

"You can take my car." Deirdre offered to Keith. "Allura and I can take Richie's HumVee."

Even Lance would acknowledge that there were times when he just couldn't keep his mouth shut. This was one of those times. "Ooh, Richie's got a HumVee. Isn't that special." This time he was ready when Deirdre made her move. He grabbed her elbow, stopping her in her tracks, and smiled wickedly as she narrowed her eyes at him. "I told you, you really need to stop doing that. Unless, course, you'd rather finish this later."

Whatever snide remark she had prepared for him died on her lips when Keith cut her off. "Cut it out, you two!" His tone made no room for arguement as he berated them both with his stare. "We don't have time for this! Allura, you and Deidre take the HumVee. Hunk and Pidge can take the bikes."

Sven spoke again. "Do you think that's a good idea? I mean, the two of you riding around on stolen bikes? Your just asking to get busted."

Hunk smiles. "Those bikes aren't stolen. I told you we borrowed them."

"How exactly did you convince the owners to let you take em?" Lance asked.

"Well, they just happen to be huge Voltron fans." Hunk said.

Pidge grabbed a cup of coffee off the table. "We kind of promised them autographs when we've cleared this mess up."

"Fine." Keith said. "Let's get going."

"Um..." Hunk cleared his throat. "is there anyway we can have some lunch first?" Pidge groaned. "What? I missed breakfast."

"I'm with Hunk." Lance said. "Can't clear our names and save the universe _again_ on an empty stomach."

"Alright." Keith agreed. "Everyone get something to eat. We'll leave in an hour."

The meeting broke. Lance, Deirdre, Pidge, and Hunk took off for the kitchen. Keith watched Allura silently slip out the back door. He followed to find her standing at the edge of the water, watching a pair of ducks floating lazily by. A light breeze rustled the loose strands of blond hair that had escaped her ponytail. He stood next to her, keeping his eyes on the water. She was silent as he approached.

After a moment of nothing but the gentle water and sweet sounds of the song birds, she spoke. "I'm sorry, Keith. I know I acted like a child in there." She turned to look at him. "You've never done anything but try to keep me and my planet safe. And you've been successful so far. You don't deserve that kind of treatment from me. There is a reason that Voltron picked you to be his leader. I have no right to question you."

He met her sad gaze. "A commander that is never questioned is doomed to fail. Getting overconfident is the easiest pitfall that a leader can fall into." He stopped to make sure that she understood what he was saying. Her soft nod prodded him to go on. "Besides, I'm at fault too. I know that sometimes I make you feel like I don't trust your abilities." He took her shoulders in his hands. "Please know that's not the case. You have proven yourself time and time again, and I know that it doesn't always seem like I appreciate what you've done for the team. And I'm sorry for that."

"Keith..." she began.

"Allura, the team trusts you with their lives." He paused, not knowing how much more he should say. But he knew he needed to tell her. "And so do I."

The admission made Allura's stomach flip flop. It was a rare occurance when Keith was so open with her. As she looked at him, feeling the warmth of his hands on her shoulders, her face flushed and she wanted nothing more than to turn away.

But instead..."And I trust you, Keith." Her voice was breathy, and she suddenly found her mouth very dry. She prayed that he wouldn't notice the pink tinge that colored her cheeks.

If he did, he didn't show it. He did take a breath just before he released her to step back. "Okay, then. I think that we should grab something to eat. I have a feeling it's going to be a long day."

As she watched him retreat back to the cabin, Allura sighed. With the tension that had been building up between them since they had left Arus behind them now, she felt like she could breathe again. More importantly, she could focus on the task at hand. Protecting her planet, and proving Keith, Lance, and Sven innocent of murder.

* * *

><p>"Why is the Voltron Force not in custody?" Lotor, the former Prince of planet Doom, narrowed his yellow eyes at the man in front of him. Curiously, the man did not flinch. Lotor suddenly longed for the days when all he would have to do was lay eyes on a man and have him pissing down his leg. But now, sitting in chains in a Galaxy Garrison prison cell, he was less than intimidating. He ground his teeth. No matter, he would have his power back soon, and those who underestimated him will fall to their knees before him and beg for mercy.<p>

Wade watched Lotor from where he stood safetly on the other side of energy field that separated him from the prisoner. "We arrested the commander and his second. They were extracted from my men by their team."

Lotor would have choked every last breath out of the man if he hadn't been restrained. "They are five people! You have an entire army at your disposal!"

Wade still seemed unmoved and unafraid by the drule's outburst. "Relax, Lotor. Of course I have a contingency plan. And it will prove be even more profitable for us. As you say, they are only five pilots. And they are without their precious robot. They are nothing without Voltron."

"What is this contingency plan?" Lotor asked.

"Let's just say that I have made arrangements that will keep the Voltron Force, along with their precious princess, on an extended vacation on Earth for an undetermined length of time. Arus will be left unprotected for you to take at your leisure."

The Prince fell into thoughtful silence. The idea of having Arus and Voltron finally under his control nearly moved him to tears. Once he had Voltron, he would crush the Alliance and rule the universe. But over the years, he had made made many mistakes during the war with Arus. Most of them came from trying to outwit and overthrow his own father, Zarkon. He had been young and rash. As a result he constantly discounted the Volton Force. Especially their leader, Keith Kogane. The man was the bane of Lotor's existence and the only foe whom the Prince was never able to vanquish. He would never make that mistake again.

"I will offer you some advice, Wade." He waited to make sure he had the other man's attention. "Do not underestimate the Voltron Force." The tension was palpable as the two men watched each other with obvious distrust. Finally, Wade broke the gaze and turned to leave. "When am I getting out of here?"

"All in good time, my dear Prince." He could feel Lotor's stare at his back. The drule apparently did not like being mocked. Wade smiled to himself. "All in good time."

* * *

><p>The sun was sinking lower in the late afternoon when Keith and Lance pulled up to the gate in front of General Hawkins estate just outside of Freetown. The shadows of the well manicured trees in the front courtyard began to stretch menacingly over the green grass. As the sky darkened the lamps on the front patio clicked on. Keith pulled up to the intercom by the gate and pressed the button.<p>

"Yes?" A stern voice filtered throught the speaker.

"Commander Keith Kogane. I need to speak with General Hawkins."

"Just a moment." The speakers went silent.

Lance rested his hands behind his head. "We should have broken in. We're fugitives you know. What makes you think that Hawkins won't turn us in? Hell, he's probably on the horn with the cops right now."

"He'll hear us out." Keith stated confidently.

"You sure about that?"

Keith didn't answer, because he didn't have one. General Hawkins had been his mentor in the academy, and Keith respected him more that anyone else. He also believed that Hawkins respected him as well. Hopefully that mutual respect would get Keith and Lance the information that they needed.

The time stretched, and Lance began to get antsy. "What the hell is taking so long?"

"Relax. We'll give him a couple of more minutes. I'm going to check in with Allura." He pushed a series of buttons on his comm.

* * *

><p>Time seemed to stretch into eternity, and Allura felt an uneasiness settle in her stomach as the elevator continued its journey upward. The numbers clicked slowly as she and Deirdre came closer to their destination. She let out the breath she had been holding as the car finally jerked to a stop. The high pitched ding echoed as the doors drew open. Deirdre motioned for Allura to stay put as she stuck her head out into the corridor.<p>

"Looks like it's all clear." She announced and the two of them walked cautiously down the hallway.

"You check the guy's room." Allura said, pulling the electronic keys out of her pocket. She handed one of them to Deirdre who nodded silently.

They parted ways as Deirdre entered the room across the hall. Allura took a deep breath and let herself into the room that she had been sharing with Romelle and Deirdre just hours earlier. The common area of the suite was dark and eerily quiet. The magezine that Romelle had been reading was still on the floor where she had dropped it upon hearing the news that Sven had been arrested along with Lance and Keith. A sigh escaped her lips as she remembered how silly she had been to be so upset with Keith over something so trivial as being left behind while the guys went to investigate General Graham's murder. Things had changed in a matter of moments.

"Allura." The deep voice coming from the comm on her wrist nearly made her jump out of her skin.

"Yes, Keith."

"Are you at the hotel yet? Did you have any problems?"

"As a matter of fact, I'm standing in my room as we speak. And no, we had no trouble."

"Good." She could hear Keith let out a breath of relief and couldn't help but smile. While Keith knew she was more than capable, he was also a control freak, and she knew that there was a part of him that would always want to protect her. "Remember, Allura, get in and out as quick as you can. Only grab essencials."

"Make sure you grab my hair cream!"

"Shut up, Lance!"

"Have you ever seen my hair without product, Keith? I look like Willy Wonka. And not the Johnny Depp Willy Wonka. Straight up Gene Wilder hair."

Allura laughed out loud at her teammates banter, and she realized how good it felt to laugh at all. "Copy that, Keith. Only the essencials."

"We're getting ready to see General Hawkins. We'll see you back at the cabin. Keith, out."

The sudden silence brought back Allura's somber mood as she moved quickly to her room and grabbed a small bag that she used to carry her toiletries. She found her blaster in the top dresser drawer along with all of her traveling papers and id's and, most importantly, the key to her blue lion. All of it got tossed in the bag. Since they had been smuggled to Earth anyway, they had been forced to pack light. She tossed the smaller bag in her back pack with what little clothes she had brought and slung it over her shouler. Then she moved to Romelle and Deirdre's rooms, collected anything that they might need and jamming them into the bag with her stuff.

Taking a quick glance up and down the empty corridor, she closed the door behind her and moved quickly across the hall. Deirdre had left the door ajar, so she went right into the other room. A couple of bags were stacked by the door along with Pidge's laptop bag. Deirdre was standing in the middle of the living area, staring at the television which they had left on in their haste earlier.

"Deirdre," Allura called, confused as to why Deirdre would be wasting time watching T.V. "We need to go."

"Allura, you better come and take a look at this."

Now very concerned, Allura moved to stand beside Deirdre. Turning her attention to the television, her blood ran cold. _How could this have happened?_


	9. Chapter 9

**Welcome back, everyone. First a quick shout out to those dear-hearts who keep sending me your love through reviews. Always appreciated, and an excellent way to keep me at the keyboard.**

**Not much in the way of comments this go round, so...Enjoy! And please review (I have no shame, and I will beg for them) :)**

**Cheers.**

The sun had nearly set when Hunk and Pidge parked the bikes on the street in front of the small tavern just off of the main thoroughfair in Freetown. Even being off the main strip, the sidewalk was bustling with activity. Because Galaxy Garrison headquarters and the Academy were the epicenter of the city, most of the traffic on the weekends consisted of mostly military personnel.

Pidge released the kickstand on his bike and propped his helmet on the back. He gazed up at the bright neons that adorned the window of the small bar. "Are you sure that they'll be here?"

"It's Friday night." Hunk chuckled. "They've been coming here since our days at the Academy. They'll be here."

Since Pidge had been a child prodigy and three years behind his teammates at the Academy, he had never been able to take part in the after hour activities of the cadets. Especially blowing off steam at the local bars. It suddenly struck him that while he was a genius in just about everyway, he was severly lacking in the realm of bar etiquette. Oh well, he could improvise.

It was nothing like Pidge had imagined. He had envisioned loud music and drunken chatter filtering through a smokey haze. Maybe a fight or two. Instead, the small room was only half full with most of the patrons camping at the long bar that ran the length of the side wall. Toward the back were a number of booth tables and another door leading to room that housed three pool tables. He stood close to the front door, unsure what to do next.

Hunk scanned the darkened room, quickly finding what he was looking for. Several members of the Vehicle Voltron Force were having a round at one of the back corner booths. Cliff, Lisa. Rocky, and Ginger relaxed in the round bench seat behind the table. Jeff had pulled a chair up to the table to sit across from them.

"Stay here, Pidge."

"Yeah, no problem."

Hunk moved purposefully to the back of the room. Without being asked, he grabbed an unused chair at an empty table and planted it backwards next to Jeff. He straddled the chair, resting his elbows on the back. The table fell silent, watching him curiously.

Jeff was the only one who didn't seem to be bothered by his sudden presence. He sipped his beer. "Good to see you, Hunk."

"Likewise."

"Hey big guy," Cliff gave him a nervous smile. "Wanna beer?" He scooted the half full pitcher toward the bigger man.

"No thanks," Hunk replied. "Just had a couple of questions."

Ginger cleared her throat. "Yeah, we heard about Keith, Lance, and Sven. Sorry about that."

Hunk nodded. "Yeah about that. You know they're innocent, right?" He narrowed his eyes at them. They had known each other since the Academy. They had to know that the others were innocent.

"Of course!" Lisa squealed. "There's no way they would ever do that."

"Right." Hunk said, feeling a little more at ease. At least they were on the same side. "The question is, who would want to frame Keith, Lance, and Sven for murder?"

Jeff, who had been thoughtfully quiet, took another sip before setting his glass in front of him. "What makes you think we would know?"

Hunk watched Jeff closely. The Air Team commander was being evasive, that much was clear. "Well, as the pilots of Vehicle Voltron, you are pretty high up on the information food chain. I figured you might have heard something."

Jeff gave him a wan smile. "You give us too much credit. Unlike your team, who has the benefit of having the ear of the ruler of Arus, we are still soldiers in Garrison. We follow orders and don't ask questions." He paused before continuing. "Even if we did know something, you know that we wouldn't be authorized to discuss it with you, Hunk." Jeff said.

"Come on, Jeff," Hunk leaned forward so that he could lower his voice, but still get his point across, "these are your friends we're talking about. You're going to tell me that you won't let me help them because of some bureaucratic bullshit!"

Jeff fell silent again, contemplating how much he could actually tell his comrade. Glancing at his team, he knew that he owed it Keith, Lance, and Sven to help in anyway he could. But his first priority was protecing his team. "Alright, I'll tell you what I can." He looked around quickly to make sure their conversation was limited to the ears of the company at the table. "All I know is that since you took Lotor into custody, things have been crazy around here. General Graham was planning a big move against the Drules while they were still reeling from the loss of Doom and it's control."

"What kind of move?"

The commander shook his head. "It was kept pretty hush hush. But we had been on-call since we got word that Zarkon is dead and you had Lotor. Then," He paused, furrowing his brows in thought. "after Graham's murder, as of last night, Wade put us on leave."

"Leave?"

Cliff snorted. "Gounded. Until further notice."

Jeff leaned closer to Hunk and lowered his voice even more. "Listen, Hunk, the guys are in a lot of trouble. I don't trust Wade, and I wouldn't put it passed him to be involved in Graham's death."

"Eh hem..." They both glanced at Ginger who gave Jeff a look he knew only too well.

"Even talking about this could land me in the brig." Jeff continued. "You need to get Keith, Lance, and Sven off planet immediately."

Hunk shook his head. "They're not going to run from this, and neither will the rest of the team. We're not going anywhere until we find out what's going on."

Jeff nodded. "I get it, Hunk. You're protecting your team. Well, so am I. I don't want anyone from Vehicle Voltron involved in this. Do you understand?"

Pidge stood quietly by the door, hands folded in front of him. He certainly felt out of place, so he focused his attention on the muted television mounted behind the bar. The sports segment of the evening news was showcasing the hightlights of a recent soccer tournament. While being very athletic himself, Pidge was never interested in organized sports. He found himself yawning and his attenting waning. A breaking news story suddenly broke in, recapturing his attention. He moved to the bar and asked the bartender to turn up the volume.

A lovely brunette was speaking to the camera. "Authorities have released information that three men, all suspects in the murder of General Graham, have been taken from custody by force." Commander Keith Kogan and Lt. Lance McClain, both Galaxy Garrison personelle and members of the elite Lion Voltron team were detained earlier today in connection with General Graham's death. Sven Holgersson, a former Garrison fighter pilot and Voltron member, was also taken in for questioning." Pictures of all three men appeared on the screen. "Just moments ago, our station recieved this footage captured by a securty camera mounted in the back of the transport vehicle."

Pidge stared in horror as a video appeared on the screen. It showed the back of the van being blown off from the inside, and Keith, Lance, and Sven jumping to safety. From the angle, the camera had a perfect view of Deirdre's black charger flanked by two motorcycles.

"Um, Hunk," he called. "I think you better take a look at this."

The newcaster returned to the screen. "The accomplices to the escape have been identified as..." Allura, Romelle, and Deirdre's faces appeared. "...Princess Allura of Arus, Princess Romelle of Pollux, and Deirdre McMannus, a former Garrison fighter pilot. The two men on the motorcycles are speculated to be Darryl 'Pidge' Stoker and Tsyoshi 'Hunk' Garret." Pidge's jaw dropped as the picture changed again, and he found himself staring at himself next to Hunk's face.

"All those involved in the incident are now wanted by the authorities. They are all highly trained soldiers and should not be engaged in any way. If you have any information on the whereabouts of these fugitives, call the police immediately."

_Fugitives? _Pidge shook his head. He couldn't believe this was happening.

Hunk was on his feet staring wide-eyed at the tv. He glanced at Jeff who was now standing beside him. He knew what was coming next.

"I have to do this, Hunk." He grabbed Hunk by the shoulder and spun him around. "Tsyoshi Garret, you are under arrest..."

Jeff held Hunk's wrists loosely behind his back, giving Hunk the opportunity to wrench himself free. "I don't think so, flyboy." He said loudly as he spun on Jeff and hesitated ever so slightly before slamming his fist into the commander's jaw sending him flying across the table into the laps of his teammates.

"Pidge! Behind you!"

Pidge turned to find two large men standing between him and the door, their only escape. There were times when Pidge found his small stature to be a hinderance. This was not one of those times. The man on his left stepped forward swinging a large fist in a wide arc. Pidge ducked jabbing the man hard in the groin. As he doubled over, Pidge straightened quickly and through his foot out in a perfectly executed roundhouse kick to the other man's gut. As he fell, Pidge leaped into the air, easily hurdling them both. Then he was out the door with Hunk on his heels.

"What now?" Pidge asked as he pulled on his helmet and started his bike's engine.

"Back to the cabin." Hunk said decisively. "And get Keith on your communicator."

* * *

><p>Keith and Lance followed the older man who had introduced himself as Pryce, General Hawkins' nephew through the large foyer of General Hawkins house. He was only a few years older than the Voltron pilots, but was tall and gangly and looked as if he had spent most of his career behind a desk. He did not seem to happy to learn that two men from Galaxy Garrison had come to call on his uncle. Lance watched the back of the man's head with contempt. If there was one thing he hated more than anything, it was the elite looking down on them because they were only pilots.<p>

He led them down a long, dimly lit hallway lined with very expensive looking paintings. Keith examined each piece as they passed and contemplated how well Hawkins had done for himself since leaving Garrison. Certainly he could not afford the estate and antiquities that adorned it on an officer's retirment package.

At the end of the hall, they came to a set of double doors. Pryce stopped and knocked, all the while watching the pair with scrutiny.

"Come in."

Pryce opened the door and ushered them inside. The office was no different from the rest of the house. It was lined with an uncountable number of books and was decorated with statues and paintings that Keith guessed had cost a pretty penny. They stood before Hawkins where he sat at his large oak desk. Pryce stood by the door, looking decidedly disgusted.

"That will be all, Pryce." The General spoke with authority.

"Are you sure, Uncle?"

Hawkins nodded. Pryce clicked his tongue before making his exit, closing the doors behind him.

"Swell guy." Lance commented.

"Pryce means well. Since my wife passed away, he has taken it upon himself to be my handler." He scrutinized the two men for a moment. "I could be arrested just for talking to the pair of you. I heard that they are looking at the two of you for Graham's murder."

"Yeah, we got that part." Lance stood next to Keith his arms crossed. He was already irritated by Hawkins' demeaning tone. Like he believed they could possibly have murdered their superior officer.

Keith stood at attention more out of habit than anything. He had always admired Hawkins and believed that Hawkins shared the same respect. "We were never here." He said quietly.

"Damn right you were never here. Now what exactly is it that you want?"

"Information." Keith admitted. "We didn't kill Graham. We want to know who's setting us up."

Hawkins stood and walked to a small bar next to a large bookcase that matched the desk. He grabbed a bottle of scotch and poured some into a rocks glass. "I've been out of Garrison for three years. What makes you think that I know anything?" He snatched up his glass and returned to his desk, though he remained standing.

"Regardless of your retired status, I assume that you're still in touch with the higher ups in Garrison." Keith said matter of factly.

The former general took a long swig of scotch and laughed loudly. "Retired. That's a gentle euphemism."

Lance snorted. "Euphemism for what?"

Hawkins finally sank back into his chair. He swirled the liquid around in the glass and stared into it as if it would give him some glimmer of future events. Finishing the drink in one swig, he breathed deeply and composed himself, but when he spoke the edge of his previous tone was gone. "Three years ago, as you know, we finally had the Drules in the Rhee Galaxy on the run. We were getting ready to wipe them and their tyranny out for good." He fell into thoughtful silence.

"What happened?" Keith prompted him.

Hawkins shrugged. "I don't know. Out of the blue, Graham pulled us out of the quadrant. When I questioned his decision, suddenly I was past my prime and I was gently ushered out the door. That was about the time Wade was promoted."

Keith rubbed his chin. "You think Wade had something to do with it?"

The older man shrugged. "My guess is he had something on Graham."

"I knew that man was dirty!" Lance ground through his teeth, pounding his fist on the desk. "You think he's in on the frame job?"

Silence was their only affirmative.

Keith's stomach turned sour. "Why take us out now after all this time?"

Hawkins breathed heavily. "You were right when you said I still have contacts in Garrison. From what I've heard, the arrest of Lotor has sent the Drules into a tailspin. With the loss of power in that galaxy, there are some people at Garrison who think that the Drule Empire may crumble." He stood and went back to the bar to pour another drink. "Rumor has it that the bureaucrats are looking to cut Garrison's budget to pay for this war with the Drules now that it's coming to its conclusion."

"What does that have to do with us?" Lance asked.

"Look, Wade is a very ambitious man. As long as he's fighting the Drules, he's a superstar. If this war ends, Wade falls into the background. And his bid for power goes with it."

"But why now?" Keith wondered again. "We've got Lotor and killed Zarkon. How's he going to stop the defeat of the Drules now? What's his endgame?"

"That I do not know." Hawkins admitted.

At that moment, the office door opened and Pryce hurried inside. "I'm sorry for the interruption, Uncle, but this is very important."

Keith narrowed his eyes as the young man walked to where his uncle sat, leaning over to whisper something in his ear. Whatever the news was, it certainly had Pryce in a tizzy. When he finally stood up straight again, Hawkins folded his hands in front of him. "It appears that not only are you now wanted for the murder of Graham, but your friends have turned fugitive as well."

Keith and Lance looked at each other. "What?"

"It's all over the news." Pryce jumped in almost as if he couldn't wait to share the information himself. Lance wanted to punch him in the face. "Video of your friends breaking you out of custody. There's a manhunt going on as we speak. The two princesses and the rest of the Voltron Force."

"Shit." Lance breathed.

Keith felt as if he had been kicked in the gut. He should have seen this coming. Now way Wade was going to let them get away so easily. He had sent Hunk, Pidge, Allura, and Deirdre into the lion's den in Freetown. Now they were all in danger. And there hadn't been time to come up with a contingency plan. He turned to Hawkins to see what his intentions were. Would he turn them in to the authorities?

Hawkins finshed his second drink and handed it to Pryce for a refill. "I suggest that the two of you find your friends and figure out a way to get off the planet."

"Uncle," Pryce screeched. "shouldn't we..."

"They were never here, Pryce. Do you understand?"

Pryce lowered his head. "Yes, Sir."

Keith gave the older man a small smile. "Thank you, Sir."

Without having to be told again, Keith and Lance hustled out the door and into the estate courtyard.

"What now, Chief?" Lance asked as he fell into the passenger seat of the charger.

Keith threw the car into gear and peeled out of the gates, kicking up debris behind them. "Get Hunk and Allura on the comm. Tell them to get their asses out of Freetown, now!"

* * *

><p>There were very few times in her life when Allura had felt her world spinning totally out of her control, but as she stood in the middle of the hotel room watching the newscast, she was freefalling without a rope to cling to. She and her cousin, along with the rest of the Voltron Force, were now fugitives on the run from Galaxy Garrison. How in the hell could she have let this happen?<p>

"Allura,"

The Princess turned as she felt Deirdre's hand on her arm.

"I think we need to get out of here, now."

She shook her head to ward off the numbing feeling that threatened to engulf her. _Now is not the time to shut down, Allura. You have to get back to your team. _"What about our stuff?"

"Grab whatever weapons you can, leave the rest." said Deirdre. "And make sure you turn off you Comm. I'm sure the others are aware of what's going on by now, and they'll try to get in touch with us. If we're going to sneak out of here without being noticed, we don't need it going off at an inopportune time."

Allura nodded and switched her Comm to silent mode.

Both women stooped to rifle through the bags quickly, each pulling out two blasters. While she had never found the need to carry a gun on her person, Allura gladly strapped Lance's holster around her waist, jamming her blaster securely to her hip. She also donned Keith's ankle holster along with his smaller Featherweight pistol. She gathered several magazines and stuffed them into her other boot. Deirdre donned her own double draw shoulder holster, complete with two blasters and a magazine holster clipped to her belt. She also sported tactical knives attatched to each of her boots.

As ready as they would be, Deirdre stuck her head out the door. The corridor was empty. "Come on," she whispered, "we'll take the stairs." Allura nodded and followed her into the hallway. They moved quickly to the end of the corridor and after a quick glance in the stairwell, they started down the stairs.

Allura felt her heart beating in time with the sound of her boots pounding the concrete steps. The gun attached to her hip seemed alot heavier than it should, and she wondered what good being armed would do them. _It's not like we could take on a brigade of Garrison soldiers on our own, anyway. _

The race down the stairs ground to a halt when Deirdre stopped suddenly on the tenth floor landing. She motioned to Allura to be quiet. The princess strained to listen. She could hear light footsteps below them echoing through the stairwell.

Deirdre pulled the door leading to the tenth floor and ushered Allura through. Allura held her breath as they listened to the footsteps growing closer in the stairwell. Her heart hammered in her chest as they made their way to the tenth floor landing. She swallowed hard, waiting for the inevitable. It never came. The footsteps passed by moving up the stairs toward the fifteenth floor. She prepared to go back into the stairwell but was stopped by Deirdre.

"They have the whole building surrounded by now. Now way we're going to make it out of here."

"So, what now? We're stuck here?"

Deirdre turned and walked down the corridor away from stairwell. She stopped at random door, put her ear to the door and listened. "This one."

"How do we get in? We need an electronic key."

The red head reached down and extracted a tactical knife. She made quick work of the screws that held the face plate of the electronic lock in place. A few twists of the wires, and Allura heard the lock click.

"Where did you learn that?"

Deirdre smiled as she held the door open. "Hunk taught me when we were in the Academy. You don't want to know why."

Allura couldn't help but smile as she walked into the room. "You're probably right."

Thankfully, the room was empty. It was spotlessly clean, so housekeeping had already been there. Allura sat heavily on the bed. "We should get in touch with Keith. They need to know what's happening."

"I guarantee you that they are monitering all the communications leaving this building." Deirdre picked up the room phone.

"What are you doing?"

"Something that I hate doing more than anything. I have an ace up my sleeve, and I think that it's time to use it."

Deirdre was silent for a moment while the phone rang, then she became very animated. "Hiya, is this the front desk?" Allura raised an eyebrow in response as the other woman's voice raised in pitch as she spoke in an unfamiliar accent. "Well, this is Dee Dee McGuire in the penthouse, and I have to say that I am very upset right now. I want to speak with Marguis Rankin, right away." There was a pause. "Well, I don't care if he's in the toilet taking a shit, I want to talk to him. NOW!"

* * *

><p>Marquis Rankin growled as another knock at his office door interupted his work. Noone seemed to understand how difficult it was to run a hotel. He had inherited the delapitated piece of crap from his late uncle and had turned it into a mecca for the high class of Freetown. Admittingly, some of them did not have the most sparkling reputations. But the money and perks were good. Now it was overrun by military personelle. They were everywhere. In the lobby. At every entrance of the hotel. It was maddening. Certain clientele would not be pleased to know that Galaxy Garrison was crawling all over the place. It was bad for business. And all because he did a favor. "What?" he ground through his teeth.<p>

The door opened and tall lanky man stuck his head in, clearly scared to death that he had interupted his boss. "Mr. Rankin. I'm sorry, sir, but Ms. McGuire is on the phone. She's pretty upset."

"Who?"

"Dee Dee McGuire. In the penthouse."

Of course. It would be her. _Shit._ _Not now. _"Put her through to my private line." He watched the phone on his desk until it beeped. He lifted it off the cradle. "Do you know the shitstorm you and your friends have started around here? There are cops everywhere."

* * *

><p>Deirdre frowned into the phone. "Yeah, I know. Probably ransacking our rooms as we speak."<p>

"Where are you?"

"Are you alone? Is this a secure line?"

"What do you think, Dee? You think I want anyone to know that I'm consorting with fugitives?"

She smiled. "That's what I like to hear. I'm holed up in a room on the tenth floor."

"There's no way your getting out of here."

"I can with your help."

"I think I've done enough for you, Dee. And this place has been turned upside down for my trouble."

Deirdre laughed. "Your troubles have only begun if you don't find a way to get me out of here."

"You're a crazy bitch. You know that? I don't owe you shit."

"Fine, Marquis, have it your way. But if I get taken in by the cops, I'm going to give them every file that I have on you and the back room racket you've got going on here. Then I'm going to send every hooker I know to your house so they can give your wife intimate details about how you've been screwing around on her for years."

"You wouldn't do that."

"Who do you think you're talking to? I'm wanted in connection with the assassination of a highly decorated Garrison general. I don't have much to lose. So why would I bullshit you? You get us out of here, I'll forget about every favor I ever did you. You will never see or here from me again. If I go down, you lose everything. We clear?"

Silence. "Yeah, I got it. Gimme 20 minutes."

"You got 10." Deirdre slammed the phone down and let out a long slow breath. She rubbed the back of her neck, suddenly feeling very tired. She noticed Allura watching her, wide eyed, from where she sat on the bed. Obviously, the princess was not used to being privy to the dark, underbelly of politics. Deirdre shrugged and smiled. "Hanging around with the scum of society sometimes has it's perks."

To her surprise, Allura smiled knowingly at her. "Obviously. So what do we do now?"

"Something else that I hate to do." Deirdre yanked open the mini-bar under the television and pulled out a small bottle of liquor. "We wait."

**So, if things were hot for our heroes before, they are smoking now. **

**Chapter 10: With the team scattered, extreme measures must be taken to get off of the planet before they are caught. But they will get help from a surprising source. Also, Wade puts his plans for Lotor into action. DUM, DUM, DUM :)**


	10. Chapter 10

**Welcome back! Just quick thanks to the reviewers. You know I appreciate you and look forward to the feedback. Love it or hate it, or want me to add something? Let me know.**

**On with the show...**

It was the longest ten minutes of Allura's life. She sat in a chair, staring out the tenth story window of the hotel room. It was dark in Freetown now, and all she could see was the blinking lights of the city. She sighed deeply. Many would consider her a patient person, but waiting around was not her strong suit. Her mind began to wander to what was going on outside of the hotel and her current precarious situation. Her team was still out there. Hunk and Pidge were somewhere in Freetown. Certainly they had already heard the news. She wondered if they were holed up somewhere like she and Deirdre were. Then there was Keith. He and Lance were still on the run.

She wished she could talk to him. Even when he came down hard on her, or when he was overbearing, just having his calm and collected presence was a strength that Allura drew from. She had come to depend on it. He always seemed to have the right answers. She sorely needed some answers right now. The knock at the door made her jump.

Deirdre rolled off of the bed where she had been flipping through news stations. When she opened the door, a tall, scrawny man with a well manicured beard and a fake tan walked into the room. He had two bags flung over his shoulders.

"Geez, Marquis, it's about time."

The man scowled at her, clearly not happy to be there. "Relax, Dee. I had to get some things together." He dropped the bags on the bed. "Two housekeeping uniforms. Complete with..." he reached into one of the bags and pulled out a short, black wig.

Deirdre smiled. "Perfect." She grabbed the bag and began rifling through it.

Marquis leaned against the wall, watching her. "That will get you downstairs and out the doors. What will you do then?"

"Don't worry about that, Marquis. We've got that covered."

"Fine." Marquis pushed himself away from the wall and moved toward the door. "Let's be clear. Our business dealings are done. For good. And I was never involved in any of this. Anything that happens now is on you."

The red head narrowed her eyes at him. "Of course, Marquis."

Without another word, Marquis made a hasty exit. Allura crossed the room and began examining the other bag on the table.

"Here," Deirdre tossed the black wig to Allura. "I think you'll look good with black hair."

* * *

><p>Romelle sat at the kitchen table, staring into her coffee, gently tapping the muzzle of the pistol in front of her. The cabin was painfully quiet save for the ticking of an antique analogue clock over the refridgerator. The waiting was just as unbearable. Romelle was a doer. A fighter. But Sven was hurt and vunerable. He was the love of her life and she would do anything to protect him. She leaned back in her chair so that she could see into the living room. Sven was snoring softly on the sofa, having finally succumbed to the pain medication she has found in the bathroom cabinets.<p>

A car engine outside made her straighten up. Getting quickly out of her chair, she snatched up the gun and moved slowly and deliberately into the living room to the window. Peering through the closed curtain, she saw a man get out of a black sedan and walk causiously up the front walk to the porch. She moved quickly to the door. She could hear rustling on the other side. Taking a deep breath, she swung the door open, pointing the pistol at the unexpected visitor's chest.

Before she knew what was happening, the man grabbed her wrist, wrenching the gun out of her hand. Now she stood unarmed staring at the barrel of the pistol.

* * *

><p>"Nothing." Lance said quietly as the car drove slowly down the dirt road. It had been twenty minutes since they had left Hawkins' estate. He had already contacted Hunk and Pidge and was relieved that they were safe and on their way back. Unfortunately, he had been unable to get Allura or Deidre on the line. He glanced at Keith who was staring forward. His hands held the wheel in an irongrip. Lance knew Keith well enough to know what he was thinking. Keith was the one who had sent Allura and Deirdre into not only Freetown, but the very place where they had been last seen. Lance knew that the commander was worried. And more than likely blaming himself.<p>

Truth be known, Lance was worried himself. He knew that Deirdre and Allura were perfectly capable of taking care of themselves, but if they were unaware that they were now fugitives, then they certainly wouldn't know that they were sitting ducks. They could be taken off guard and hauled in before they even knew what was going on. He shook his head. There was no time to think that way now.

"Okay, look," he finally said, "assuming that they know that they are in danger, they will find a way out of Freetown. And they may just be hiding out and had to turn off their communicators."

The commander nodded, solemly.

"Keith, I know that your first instinct is to go riding into Freetown on your white horse and handle the situation yourself." He paused to make sure Keith was listening. Keith's expression told him that the commander was not convinced that he shouldn't turn the car around and head back into Freetown. Lance sighed. This was no time to tiptoe. He was going to have be straighforward with his friend. "Look, Keith, it's time to put your money where your mouth is."

"What are you talking about?"

"It's time to prove to Allura that you trust that she can handle business if she needs to."

"Of course I trust her."

Lance nodded. "Then put your feelings aside for a minute. And don't give me that 'I don't know what you're talking about' look. It's me you're talking to, Keith. I've known what's been going on with you for a while."

"Lance..."

"And I know how highly you hold that code of yours. But I gotta tell you, bro, you really need to resolve this whole business – one why or another."

When Keith finally spoke, his voice was soft and resigned. "I know."

His commander's admission took Lance off guard. _It's a start, anyway. Now if I can just..._

"But I don't have time to be concerned about that right now." Keith said.

_So much for that._

"There are too many lives at stake now." He continued. "We'll regroup with the others at the cabin. We'll give Allura and Deirdre a couple of more hours. If we don't hear from them by then, we'll review our options."

Lance nodded. Keith was back in commander mode, now. His renewed detatchment, even if it was a ruse, was comforting to Lance. They were going to need Keith at the top of his game if they were going to get out of their mess. Distractions were not an option. And Lance knew that was true about himself as well.

Keith pulled the charger onto the gravel drive leading to the cabin. Once the sun had set, his visibility had deminished significantly. As he cleared the trees in front of the cabin, he saw the black sedan.

Lance saw it at the same time. "What the hell?"

A quick glance around told Keith that neither the Hummer nor the bikes were in the driveway. He narrowed his eyes at the black car in front of the house. "I see it." He stopped the car halfway down the gravel drive and cut the engine.

"What now, Boss?"

Keith answered him by reaching into the backseat and retrieving two automatic pistols that they had found in the trunk. He handed one to Lance who grinned at him.

"Hell yeah!" He crooned.

"We go in quiet, Lance. Sven and Romelle are still in there."

Lance nodded. "You got it. Let's go."

* * *

><p>"I cannot believe that the women who clean are made to wear this." Allura stood on her tip toes to get a better look at herself in the bathroom mirror. The dresses that Marquis had brought them were nothing close to being modest. The skirt hiked up almost to her rear while the halter top left little to the imagination. At least the shoes were flats. The worst, however, was the amount of make-up that she and Deirdre were forced to pile onto their faces just so that they wouldn't be recognized.<p>

Deirdre joined her in the bathroom, still tucking her red hair up under the bright pink wig that fell to her shoulders. She was wearing a similar outfit but seemed to be, at least to Allura, more comfortable in the skimpy dress. "Let's just say that the ladies who wear these do more for the guests than just changing sheets." She shrugged. "Some of the patrons that stay here have...um, unusual appetites." She grinned wickedly as she gazed at Allura's jet black pixie wig. "You look good with black hair. I bet Keith would like it. For a few hours anyway."

The Princess stopped fussing with her lipstick and stared at Deirdre who immediately realized that she had mispoken. "Oh, sorry. I just assumed that you were..." She paused. "So you and Keith have never..."

Allura flushed a deep shade of pink and wished she could climb under a rock. "No, we've never..." She really had no desire to go on, or to keep the conversation going where it was obviously heading.

Now focused on the bright red lipstick in her hand, Deirdre shrugged. "Well, I can't say I'm too surprised. Keith's kind of a stickler for the rules against fraternization."

"Yeah, no kidding." The words were out before Allura had realized that she had said them. "I mean..."

"It's alright. I get it." Deirdre puckered her lips and blew herself a kiss in the mirror before looking back to Allura. "Ready?"

Allura nodded, relieved that Deirdre was not going to press the issue any further. She took one more glance at herself and sighed loudly.

The pair of them went to the front door and picked up the bags that Marquis had brought the clothes in that now contained their own clothes and the weapons that would be impossible to hide on their person.

"Okay," said Deirdre as she opened the door and peered into the hallway, "all we have to do is get downstairs and outside. The Hummer should still be parked on the side of the building."

Allura gave her a nervous laugh. "You make it sound so easy."

Deirdre returned a smile. "Piece of cake."

* * *

><p>There was a certain thrill that pumped throught Lance's veins when they were on a mission. It was no different now as he crouched in the brush under an open window that lead to the kitchen. A quick glance told him that the kitchen was vacant. Whoever the black sedan belong to was probably in the living room. Fortunatly with only the moonlight to illuminate the porch, he could see Keith moving slowly up the steps toward the front door. If he hadn't known that Keith was there, Lance would never have seen him coming.<p>

Regardless of their skills as pilots, and, Lance would be the first to say, they were top of the line, it was these moments when they truely excelled. Stealth and prowess had been their specialty in the Academy. Before they had ended up on Arus, he and Keith were being groomed to be black ops. Lance had to laugh at the irony. They were now being hunted by the very team that they would no doubt be leading had they stayed on Earth.

Lance caught a glimpse of Keith who made a single gesture with his hand. Lance nodded and stood, quietly making his way through the window. The kitchen was dark, but he could hear voices in the living room. He glanced at his watch. He had ninety seconds. Even without being able to see him, Lance knew that Keith was moving in through the foyer. They had the element of suprise. The downside was that they were going in blind. They had been unable to get any visuals in the living room, so they had no idea how many people were in there or what kind of dangerous position Sven and Romelle were in. Forty-five seconds. But if they had learned anything from being chosen to pilot Voltron, it was how to work on the fly. He went to the far side of the room to the door that opened to the hallway that led to the back of the house and served as rear entrance to the living room. Ten seconds. Gripping the automatic pistol, he took a deep breath and made his move.

He knocked open the door with a loud bang and bolted into the living room. As expected, Keith had also moved in. Standing in front of the living room, Keith mirrored his own stance, gun in hand.

"Keith! Lance!" Romelle jumped off the couch where she had been sitting with Sven. A lone man, who had been sitting in the chair across from the sofa with his back to the doors stood up quickly, brandishing his own weapon.

For several seconds, the three men stood sizing up the now precarious situation. It was Sven who finally spoke. "Everybody stand down!" He ordered.

That was the moment when Lance recognized the stranger. "Richie Vanderlough." He lowered his gun and holstered it.

The large, dark haired man lowered his own weapon. "Lance McClain. It's been a long time."

Keith moved into the room to stand between the two men. "What are you doing here?"

Richie laughed. "I live here. This is my cabin."

"Oh course," Keith said. "but Deirdre said that you were off planet."

All humor vanished from Richie's face. "Yeah, about that. Deirdre told me that you had called her for help. And since the two of you have an uncanny ability to get her into trouble, I decided that I might need to come back. Imagine my overwhelming suprise when I find out that you are suspected in the murder of General Graham, and that she is now on the run as your accomplice. I figured she'd come here."

Lance's jaw ticked. "You have no idea what you are talking about, Vanderlough." He suddenly felt the urge to punch the bigger man.

"Oh, yeah? So those are not your pictures plastered all over the news?"

"Alright, everyone," Keith interjected. "let's just calm down. Look, Richie, Deirdre agreed to help."

"Yeah, nobody forced her." said Lance.

Richie shook his head. "You two are like a bad penny. You just keep coming back. You knew that Dee wouldn't be able to say no to you. And everytime she gets involved with you, she gets into trouble."

"So now you are her hero?" Lance scoffed. "Coming in to save the day."

"Apparently somebody has to."

The two men stared at each other from across the room.

"Okay, okay." Sven finally cut in. "Put your dicks away. From where I'm sitting, we're all on the same side here."

"Where's Deirdre?" demanded Richie.

Two motors coming down the drive turned everyone's head. A glance out the window confirmed that Hunk and Pidge had made it back from Freetown.

"What's going on here?" Hunk questioned when he walked into the room.

"Long story." Keith announced.

Pidge took a quick assessment of everyone in the room. "Have you heard from Allura and Deirdre?"

Keith shook his head. "Not since they first got to Freetown. I can only guess that they've turned their communicators off."

"You've seen the news?" asked Hunk. Everyone nodded. "So what now, Chief?"

Keith glanced at Lance who nodded. "They are both capable of making it out of there. Let's give them a little while longer. They'll contact us when they can."

"Typical." Richie crossed his arms. "Leave her hanging in the wind, as usual."

"Nobody's leaving anyone hanging, Richie." Keith ground out. "If we don't hear from them soon, we'll go in after them."

* * *

><p>Allura stared at the numbers on the elevator as it clicked down slowly. She resisted the urge to get violent when a well-dressed man who had gotten on at the eighth floor had stood so close she could smell his toothpaste. He had not so subtly put his hand on her rear, and she wanted nothing more than to punch him. It disgusted her how some men found themselves entitled to grope women. Or perhaps she was just used to being treated with respect. The men that she surrounded herself with were nothing like the crude men that she had encounted since arriving on Earth.<p>

Finally, the elevator dinged for the last time, and they made their way into the lobby of the hotel. She and Deirdre both stopped in their tracks at the overwhelming number of police officers and Garrison soldiers milling about. She took a deep breath. _Easy, Allura. Just move like you belong here. _She reached over and squeezed Deirdre's hand. They were going to get through this.

Together, they moved through the lobby, sidestepping the uniforms. For the most part, they remained unnoticed. As they neared the door, Allura's aprehension began to disapate. They were going to make it. Until the other shoe dropped.

Just before they reached the door, a man stepped out in front of them, taking Deirdre by the arm. He was not in uniform, but looked more like one of the hotel's sleazy guests. "Hello, sweetheart. I need you to come up to my room. I need some extra towels."

Deirdre tugged at her arm, but he didn't give. "I'm off duty."

He grabbed her harder. "I'm an important man here, darling. Your boss will not be happy if I'm not happy."

"Screw you." Deirdre ground through her teeth. She grabbed his wrist and twisted away from him. He reached up and grabbed her hair, yanking the pink wig off her head.

Before he could react, Allura moved forward quickly putting the whole weight of her body behind the punch that landed on his jaw. The man staggered back. The commotion had definitely drawn attention. Deirdre stood exposed, her red hair unraveling from the band that had held it in place.

"Let's go!" commanded Allura, already moving toward the door.

Deirdre was on her heels as they broke into a full sprint out of the hotel. Suddenly, there was a group of uniforms chasing them down. As they neared the corner of the street, Deirdre dug in her pocket and produced a set of keys. Even before they made it to the Hummer, she had the doors unlocked and the engine running. She took the driver's seat while Allura climbed in next to her. Without prompting, Deirdre mashed her foot on the gas and peeled into the traffic, nearly sideswiping two cars.

Allura tried to catch her breath as she turned to look out the back window. The soldiers who had been following them were now scrambling to get to their own vehicles. She turned back to the front and sunk into the seat. It would be too late. She and Deirdre would have disappeared by the time they got on the road.

* * *

><p>At Galaxy Garrison Headquarters, Wade walked down the dark corridor leading to the bowels of the building. He had never actually been in that part of the building. Only maintenence made their way down to the lower levels. There was no fear that he would run into anyone this far down. It was getting late in the evening and only a skeleton crew was working at the present.<p>

He shifted his duffle bag to his other hand as he approached the last door leading to his destination. There was a lone man sitting at a desk. Wade wondered idly what the young man had done to earn the graveyard shift security detail. He quickly dismissed the thought. In a few minutes it wouldn't matter anyway. The man stood at Wade's approach and saluted him.

"Sir, what brings you down here at this late hour?"

"Just doing a security walk-through."

The man nodded only quick enough to see Wade pull a pistol of his waistband and put a bullet right between the young man's eyes. Blood spattered the wall behind him as the guard fell back and to the floor behind the desk. Without reaction, Wade bent over him and pulled his clearance card from the front of his shirt. He slid the card in the scanner and waited patiently as the computer read his clearance. The light turned green, and Wade let himself in.

It took nearly ten minutes for him to finish. He had attached the device to the gas powered heating unit and dragged the poor sucker who had been blessed with the graveyard shift into the room next to it.

Content that his plan would go off without a hitch, he smiled to himself for his own genius. There would be no way that they could be discern cause of death of a man whose body had been completely desimated. The blast would see to that. He finally left the room and began his trek back down the dark corridor. Pulling a communicator out of his pocket, he pressed the button.

"Everything is in place. Are you ready?" Wade said.

"Yes, Sir." The voice on the other end confirmed.

"Good."

Wade took the elevator back to ground floor and walked quickly through the lobby and into the still night. With one more maniacal grin, he reached into his pocket again and pulled out the detenator. Without one more thought about it, he pushed the button.

The blast shook the building, but was in no way strong enough to damage the infrastructure. What it did was cause panic and scramble among the skeleton crew at HQ. From where he was sitting, Major Lawrence felt the jolt and knew that it was time. Silently, he stood up and walked toward the door. With one look back, he pressed the emergency release button by the door as he left.

The metal gears ground loudly as the barred gate slowly moved to one side. Finally able to foresee his own freedom and his revenge on the cursed Voltron Force, Lotor smiled wickedly and walked out of his prison.

**Hope you enjoyed :) Please R&R!**


	11. Chapter 11

**My goodness, thank you everyone for all the amazing reviews. I have no comments to speak of for this chapter, so please enjoy and don't forget to review :)**

With all the chaos after the explosion at Galaxy Garrison, Lotor had managed to make his way out the back exit leading into the officer's parking garage. He breathed deeply and relished his new freedom. Wade had left specific instructions for Lotor to get him off the planet. He fingered the ship activator in his pocket as he took the stairs two at a time until he arrived at the open top of the garage. Scanning quickly, he found the small cruiser that Wade had left for him. It would not get him very far into the stratosphere, but Wade had sworn that a more appropriate space vessel would be waiting for him.

Lotor grimaced. He hated trusting anyone, much less a two-headed snake like Wade. He had, so far at least, kept to his word. The Voltron Force was on the run, and Lotor was now free. Inserting the activation key into the console, he started the cruiser's engine, foregoint all of the necessary pre-flight checks. He was itching to get to his destination. Soon he would have his army back along with the abandoned Voltron. When he was finished with Arus, he would return and destroy Earth and all of its worthless humans. And he would come for Wade. The colonel may want to keep his word to Lotor, but the prince had no such obligations. Once he had Voltron, he would be unstoppable. He would rise as the new ruler of the Drule Empire, and the universe would cower at his feet.

* * *

><p>The stars were shining brightly now, reflecting like candle flames into the dark water. Keith sat cross-legged on edge of the lake, staring up at the twinkling lights, attempting in vain to clear his head. He remembered when his team had first landed on Arus. That first night had been so clear that he could count the individual stars. Being raised in the city, the view of the sky was always intruded upon by the tall buildings and the city lights, but from where the Castle of Lions stood tall overlooking the valley there was absolutely no obstruciton of the sky. Now, sitting on the soft grass, he could almost imagine that he was back on Arus. On Arus, it seemed to be almost second nature to find answers to even the most heinous problems. After years of dealing with Lotor and Zarkon, his leadership abilities had been forged in fire. On Arus, he was confident in his decisions. Now, being back on Earth, his supposed home, he felt lost. He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. Clearing his mind, he willed himself to find an answer to their current predicament.<p>

Lost in his own thoughts, he began to hear voices. One voice, actually. It was calling his name.

Inside the cabin, things had settled down for the most part. Hunk and Pidge had found solice raiding the refridgerator. Pidge knew that his friend always turned to food when he was feeling out of sorts, and he knew that right now, Hunk was thinking about Rebecca. He had promised her that he would be back in less than a week, but now they had no idea if they would make it back to Arus at all. The prospect was waying heavily on them all. As he watched Hunk shove another handful of chips in his mouth and his face grow more somber by the moment, Pidge decided to take his mind off of the love of his life for a moment.

"I can't believe you punched Jeff." said Pidge, reaching across the table for the bag of pretzels. "He's going to be gunning for your ass."

Hunk grunted as he reached for more chips. "No way. He knew I was going to take a swing at him. He wanted me to."

"Why?"

The big guy shrugged. "To keep him from being implicated." He grinned. "And, he left me a little gift."

Lance sat in a corner, his pistols in pieces on the floor in front of him. He found it strangely relaxing to clean his weapons. There were times when they felt like an extension of himself – always able to keep him one step away from his last breath. Two things he could always rely on in his life: his team and his aim.

"Keith?"

Lance's ears perked up at the sound of his commander's name. Without thought to the pieces of his pistols, he leaped off the floor and bolted to the coffee table where Keith's communicator had been abandoned earlier. He picked it, hoping that his ears weren't playing some kind of cruel joke on him as Hunk and Pidge raced into the room. "Allura!" he shouted.

"Lance?"

"Sweet Jesus, girl, that is the sweetest sound I have ever heard!" Lance felt the tension in his back ease slightly. "Where the hell are you?"

Before she could answer, the back door banged open. Keith flew across the room, snatching the comm out of Lance's hand. "Allura."

"Keith!" His name sounded more like a relieved sigh than anything else.

"Is Deirdre with you? Are you two okay?"

"Yes," she answered, "we're both fine."

Keith looked up at the group now crowded around the comm and nodded. "Where are you?"

Deirdre answered. "We're in the Argenta District." Keith and Lance exchanged glances. The Argenta District was notorious for being an unsavory part of Freetown. "We kind of had a run in with the law and had to ditch the Hummer."

"_My_ Hummer?" Richie returned to the living room, drying his hair with a towel.

"Richie? What the hell?"

Keith shook his head. "Long story, Deirdre."

"Oh, well, yeah, your Hummer, Richie. Sorry."

Richie breathed deeply, running a hand through his wet hair. He glanced at Lance who almost seemed to be smiling. Richie narrowed his eyes threateningly. "We'll talk about it later, Dee."

Keith ignored them both. "Can you get to a safe place until we can get to you?"

"Yeah, we can do that."

"Alright, then. Sit tight. Keep your communicators on. I'll have Pidge track your coordinates."

"You got it, Keith." said Allura. The comm clicked twice indicating that the communication had ended.

There was a collective sigh of relief in the living room. Nobody had wanted to come out and say it, but having Allura and Deirdre MIA for so long had begun to wear on everyone. Now they could focus on getting out of there.

Keith felt a surge of energy return. Everything seemed so clear to him now. "Okay, I've got a plan." he announced.

"About freaking time." Lance chimed in. He was ignored.

"Richie," Keith turned to the outsider of the group. "I need a favor."

Richie snorted. "Oh, that's rich, Keith. Really? You want me to – how did Lance put it – save the day?"

Lance saw an expression cross Keith's face that he instantly recognized. Mostly because it was all to often directed at him. It was definitly Keith's patented _I'm-not-taking-any-more-of-your-shit_ look. He almost smiled as Keith stalked across the room to stand toe to toe with Richie, who incidently towered about six inches over him. But after years spent going to head to head with the ten foot tall Lotor, Lance doubted that any man could intimidate the commander of the Voltron Force.

Keith narrowed his eyes as he looked up at Richie. When he spoke, his words were low and threatening. "We can do this with or without you. And we will, if need be. But it would be alot easier if we had your help. If you care as much about Deirdre as you claim to, that is. Or is that just a bunch of bullshit?"

Now, Lance had known Keith for a long time, and he instantly recognized what was taking place. To the untrained ear, Keith was simply asking Richie for help. But anyone who had been under his command, knew that when the shit hit, Keith did not ask – he ordered.

To his credit, Richie seemed to get the clue. "Alright, fine. Whatever."

Satisfied that he had made his point, Keith took a step back. "We need to get to Allura and Deirdre. That means going back into Freetown." He glanced back at Sven and Romelle. "Can you get Sven and Romelle off the planet and back to Pollux?"

"We're not leaving!" Romelle jumped up. "I'm not going to abandon my cousin!"

"I agree with Romelle." Sven interjected. "No man left behind, Keith."

"Sven," Lance cut in, "you can barely walk, bro. You need to get somewhere and get patched up."

"Lance is right." said Keith. "Seriously, Sven, you know that there's nothing you can do with a bum leg." Sven seemed to think it over before nodding. Now that was settled, Keith turned back to Richie. "Well?"

"Yeah, sure. I'll do whatever I can."

"Don't worry, Richie," quipped Lance, "you've got the easy job."

Richie's eyes shot daggers in his direction. "Fuck you, McClain! You just make sure you get her back safe. You owe her that much."

For reasons that Lance wasn't aware of at that time, he launched himself at the bigger man. He was stopped short, however, when Keith grabbed his arm and jerked him back with force. Richie was already in motion as well but halted suddenly when someone blocked his way. This time it was Hunk who stood just as tall and was just as wide. And Hunk had no intention of letting him go any farther.

Now being off balance, Lance was dragged out of the living room into the kitchen. Keith threw him hard against the counter. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Come on, Keith, the guy's a douche bag!"

Keith narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms. "You were the one who was baiting _him_, Lance."

"What are you talking about?"

Keith was thoughtful for a moment before he spoke again, "He and Deirdre seem to be really close. Does that bother you?"

Lance frowned at him. Of course Deirdre and Richie's relationship had crossed his mind, only not in the way that Keith concluded. But he would deal with that next time he saw her. "Oh no. No, you don't, Keith. Do not make this about me and Deirdre. You know that he's been trying to get a rise outta me since he got here."

"I never said anything about _you _and Deirdre." Keith paused to allow his comment resonate with Lance. He had neither the time nor the patience to deal with two kids bullying each other in the school yard. Especially over a girl.

The comment apparently took Lance aback for a moment, and he seemed to be without anything to say. That was rare for him.

"Lance, you know that in any other situation, I would have your back. Hell, I'd even get in a few punches myself" Keith lowered his voice, " but right now, I don't give a damn if you and Richie hate each other's guts. We need his help, and I need you to behave like my second in command. Are we clear?"

Lance crossed his arms and scowled. He hated it when Keith was right.

"Are – we – clear?"

"Crystal." Lance stated simply.

"Good. Then let's try to figure out how to get everyone off this rock in one piece."

Without waiting for Lance to respond, Keith turned on his heel and walked back into the living room. There was no one in the world that he would want to be his second. Lance might be hot tempered and juvinile at times, but he was one of the most competent officers that Keith had ever met. As a team, they complimented each other perfectly. Keith was methodical in his plans of action. He liked having order. But when push came to shove and they needed to improvise, Lance never let them down. And for all the guff that Lance gave him, he knew that Lance respected him as a leader. And no leader could ask for more than the respect of his men.

When he arrived back in the living room, Richie immediately moved to stand in front of him. Keith mentally prepared himself for another confrontation. But Richie suprised him.

"I am ready to do whatever I can to help, Keith." His attitude had changed considerably, and he seemed geniune in his offer.

"Thank you." answered Keith. And with that, a mutual agreement was struck.

"I'm going to need a ship."

Hunk jumped in. "I think I can help with that." He reached in his pocket and pulled out a ship activator. He tossed it to Richie.

"What's that?" asked Keith.

The big man grinned. "It's Jeff's personal rig. He dropped them in my pocket during his lame attempt to arrest me. A set up, of course."

Pidge rubbed his chin. "Yeah, flying the personal craft of a highly decorated officer, you should have no problem getting spacebound." Silence among the group prompted him to go on. "Keith, how are we going to get in and out of Freetown without getting caught? I mean, they've got to have military and local police canvacing the city looking for us. And even if we do find Allura and Deirdre, how the hell are we going to get off of the planet?"

There was no denying that Pidge was the smartest of the group, technologically speaking, but he was also a stickler for the details – not always able to look at the big picture in terms of logistics. Lance smiled at the young man's uneasy questions as he sauntered into the living room. He placed a hand on Pidge's shoulder.

"Don't worry, kid, I'm sure our fearless leader has a plan." He nodded to Keith, an unspoken statement that he was ready to back his commander up.

Keith returned the nod. "Right, as a matter of fact, I do have a plan."

* * *

><p>The Argenta District was not an area of town that most would want to find themselves alone during the day – even less so after dark. Some of the most seedy establishments in Freetown resided within the ten block radius of Argenta. Gangs were rampant in the area, mostly run by drug lords who lined the pockets of politicians and police chiefs to keep there business running smoothly.<p>

Allura and Deirdre found themselves sans vehicle at the outer rim of the Argenta District where where the streets intersected with the more lawful area of the city, several bars and strip clubs littered the neighborhood for the general population. Unlike Downtown Freetown which boasted a higher concentration of more upscale establishments, and as a result a more populated area at night, Argenta presented a more omnious environment. That, however, did not stop a few brave souls, from venturing out.

The two women stayed in the shadows keeping their heads down as they walked down the sidewalk. Since their adventure had began together, Allura had steadily been acclaimating herself to the shadier side of Freetown. She was still haveing problems, however, getting used the to catcalls that they recieved every now and then from a drunk pedestrian. They made her even more self-conscious in her skimpy maid's uniform than she already was.

They finally stopped in front of a door in the middle of the block. The doorway was dark even with the one streetlight and neon advertisments on the windows. On either side, the spaces that look as if they use to be businesses on their own, stood empty and boarded up. Just above the door, another neon sign screamed at her in bright pink _The Emerald City._

"What is this place?" asked Allura as she followed Deirdre up the few steps to the door.

"It's a strip club." Deirdre said matter of factly as if it was the most natural place in the world for them to be."

Allura wrinkled her nose. Of course, spending five years with four young (very male) pilots, she had heard of such places. Lance made no bones about patronizing this type of establishment every now and then. The idea of women taking their clothes off for money certainly boggled Allura's imagination. "Why here?"

"Well, it's dark, fairly quiet, and they don't really like law enforcement in these kinds of places." Deirdre gave her a wan smile. "And I know the guy who runs the place."

Allura grunted. Why was she not suprised? It was becoming more and more clear that Deirdre walked a very thin line between being a lawful citizen and an all out criminal. Deirdre sauntered up to the counter just to the right of the door. A large man in a black t-shirt, which did nothing to hide the faded tatoos that covered his arms, eyed them for a moment. It occurred to Allura that they must be quite a sight.

"I need to see, Sonny." Deirdre declared, refusing to be intimidated by the man.

He smiled sardonically at her, clearing patronizing them. "And whom shall I say is calling?"

"Just tell him Dee is here. He'll know exactly who your are talking about."

"Oh, yes, yes, of course." His voice dripped sarcasm. "Please, have a seat inside and I'll send him right over to your table."

Deirdre narrowed her eyes at him before returning the patronizing grin. "Thank you."

As they wove through the maze of bar tables that surrounded a stage that protruded into the middle of the room, with runways on three side, Allura was better able to get a look around through the smokey haze. A upbeat, exotic sounding song was being pumped into the room while a young girl danced around on the stage while the men stared, every now and again throwing money at her feet. As the girl grinded her hips at the men, Allura was reminded of the few times that she had been on Doom, both as a child with her father trying to negotiate peace, then later as Zarkon's prisoner. The King and his dispicable son, Lotor, had often surrounded themselves with girls who pranced around in skimpy outfits, gyrating their hips for the pleasure of men just as this young girl was doing. But the ladies on Doom had been slaves. Allura wondered what could possibly make this particular girl want to make a living taking her clothes off for men's pleasure.

They finally found themselves in a dark booth in the corner of the room. It felt safe. Saf_**er, **_at least. They had barely settled in when three men approached them, each with a beer in their hand. To Allura they looked to be in their early twenties – no older than her team was when they had first fallen on her doorstep. The man in the middle was the tallest and obviously the alpha of the group. He was clean cut and blond. The faux silk shirt that he wore clung to his solid body. The other two looked as if they wanted to be carbon copies of him, but had accepted the fact that it was an unrealistic expectation. So, they chose to follow behind, picking up his scraps.

He leaned in close so that Allura got a whiff of the booze on his breath. "Well, hello, ladies," he crooned with just a hint of an intoxicated accent. "My name's Colin. Mind if we join you?"

"Take a hike." Deired scowled at him.

He straightened up with a decidedly indignant expression. Aparently, he was not used to being turned down. "That's not a very polite way to talk to a guest in your establishment."

"You _**are **_a guest in _**my **_establishment. And I would appreciate it if you would leave these fine ladies alone."

They all turned to see a well manicured man in an expensive suit and slightly graying temples standing beside the booth. Behind him, the mountain of a man that had been at the door just minutes earlier towered over them, arms firmly across his chest making his muscles appear even larger than they actually were. The frown that he wore immediately concluded that he was not in the mood for some drunk punks to mess with him. Colin's confident demeaner fell as he stepped back so quickly that he nearly knocked over his companions.

"Oh, sorry, sir," He glanced back at the ladies in the booth. "I thought they were...well, you know..."

The suited man frowned. "_Assuming _is a very fast track to getting your ass kicked. Now, I suggest that you and your buddies find seats of your own and enjoy the rest of the show."

Colin gulped visibly. "Yes, sir." He turned quickly and pushed his friends in another direction. "Let's go."

But the suited man wasn't finished. "One more thing, gentleman," The young men turned back to him. "if I ever see you trying to force yourselves on any of my girls...well, let's just say that Max here doesn't like _**anyone **_messing with my girls." To make his point, the large man grunted and cracked his knuckles loudly. It was a little over dramatic, but effective. The young men nodded obediently and hustled back to the other side of the stage.

"Keep an eye on them." The man said to Max who nodded and made his way back to the door as another group of men walked through the door. He turned his attention back to Deirdre and Allura.

"You always bring trouble. Don't you?"

"Nice to see you too, Sonny." Deirdre sneered, but held a hand out as an invitation for him to sit down.

Sonny crossed his arms but made no move to sit. "What do you want?"

"We need a place to hide out. Just for a couple of hours."

He nodded. "Yeah, I saw that you got yourself in a mess of trouble, girl. I don't need any of that in my place."

"Trust me, making trouble is the last thing we want to do right now. But we need a place to crash that isn't crawling with cops." She watched him closely, but was unable to read his expression. "Just for a couple of hours." she repeated.

The tension was palpable as Allura waited for his answer. Thus far, they had been very lucky to stay out of custody, but that could always change at any moment. Sonny might not be the most reputable of business men, but that didn't mean that he wouldn't turn them in just for spite. She wondered how long it would take for Keith and others arrive and get them out of there.

Sonny rubbed his stubbled chin. "Nobody sits in my place without paying."

"How much?" Deirdre narrowed her eyes.

"500 bucks."

The red head scoffed. "Are you joking?"

"Look, Red," Sonny leaned down until he was nose to nose with her. Allura bristled unconsiously and casually reached into her bag, gripping her pistol tightly. "You're taking space reserved for paying customers. Either pay, or hit the streets."

Deirdre gazed at him, apparently unfazed by his close vicinity. "We can't use our credits, our cards have been flagged by now. And we don't have that kind of cash."

Sonny straightened back up. "Well, there is another way you can pay me." They followed his gaze toward the dance floor.

While Deirdre seemed to automatically get his meaning, Allura was not quite sure what he was alluding to. "You want me to dance." Deirdre finally concluded.

"You could fill in for one of my girls. I won't have to pay her, and I keep all your tips."

"No way, my pictures been plastered all over the news. I'll be made as soon as I walk on that stage."

There was a sudden silence as the weight of their circumstances began to hang heavy.

"I'll do it." Allura announced suddenly.

While Deirdre stared at her, Sonny was already raking his eyes over her from her black pixie wig to her flats, stopping to linger the whole way down. Allura suddenly felt like a piece of meat at the butcher waiting to be wrapped up. He shrugged. "I suppose you could..."

"No, no way..." Deirdre shook her head vehemently.

Allura put her hand on the woman's arm to calm her. "It's okay, I can do it."

Deirdre blinked as he looked from Allura to Sonny and back again. Their choices were very limited at the moment. They could not go back out on the street. Not only were the police combing every inch of Freetown looking for them, but staying out at the hour that it was in the Argenta District, in the clothes that they were wearing, was a sure fire way of attracting the wrong kind of attention. She sighed heavily. "Fine. But she's not taking her clothes off, Sonny."

Sonny frowned. "Now _you_ must be joking."

"Look at her, Sonny," Deirdre motioned to Allura. "just watching her will get your guys so revved up that they'll be fighting each other to get your girls in the back room." He seemed to consider her observation. "Come on, Sonny, we've known each other for a long time. Cut me some slack."

"Fine. But only because you've been very useful to me over the years. CANDY!" He watched them as a beautiful young woman in a very skimpy outfit wandered over from a table full of roudy men. She traced a finger up his sleeve before resting her arm on her shoulder. She blinked at him with doe eyes. "Candy, dear, this young lady is going to be making her debut with us tonight." He observed Allura again. "The outfit is okay. Touch up her makeup, get her some new shoes, and give a few pointers."

Candy grinned at Allura. "Of course, Sonny." She lifted to her tip toes and licked his ear seductively. "Come on, dear. Let's get you fixed up."

Allura nodded before sliding out of the booth. Deirdre was going to follow, but was stopped by Sonny. "Uh-uh, only dancers in the dressing room."

She locked eyes with Allura who could only force a smile. "I'll be alright."

Deirdre sat back and watched Candy lead the princess away. She ran a hand through her hair and let out a long sigh. "The guys are going to kill me."

* * *

><p>The mood at the cabin was somber to say the least as the men of the Voltron Force prepared for their inevitable departure to Freetown. They had decided that a bit of camoflage would be helpful so they had raided Richie's closet. Unfortunately, the only one of them that actually fit into Richie's clothes was Hunk. His clothes hung off of Keith and Lance like little boys trying on their father's suits. When Richie told them that Deirdre kept a closet full of clothes in the spare bedroom, Lance bristled, but opted for one of her old band t-shirts that he found hanging in the closet. She tended to wear her t-shirts big, so it fit him quite nicely. He pulled one of Richie's baseball caps, also too big, over his hair and looked at himself in the bathroom mirror. <em>Well, it could most certainly be worse. <em>

Keith had also found a t-shirt that fit and had dawned a skull cap, that, unlike Lance's hat, fit his head almost perfectly. Pidge had decided that he would benefit more, mobility wise, to stay in his own clothes. Romelle and Sven had no real reason to discuise themselves. Jeff kept his ship outside of Freetown, so there was no need to be as worried.

While the rest prepared to complete their objective, Richie walked into his bedroom and closed the door. He got a glance of himself in the side mirror over his night stand and quickly ran a hand through his mussed hair. Deirdre needed his help, and even knowing that she would never expect, or hold any animosity toward him, she would be very disappointed if he were to turn down the chance to do some good. But even Deirdre could not stop him from wondering if getting involved in the current scandel would be worth it. After all, he had a life on Earth. He owned his own home. He had friends. He had his life just the way he wanted it. If he were to be implicated in the mess that the Voltron Force had gotten themselves into, everything that he had worked so hard for would be ruined.

It was those last thoughts on his mind that prompted his next action. He picked up his wireless phone and punched a number. His heart raced as the rings echoed in his ear. Time seemed to stretch out as he waited for someone to pick up. Finally a woman answered.

"Freetown police department."

Richie took a deep breath. "Yeah, my name is Richie Vanderlough. I have some information on the location of the Voltron Force."

"What kind of information?"

"I've been in contact with them." Swallowing hard, Richie willed himself to continue. "I can tell you where they are going next."

**Hope you enjoyed. Please R&R! :)**


	12. Chapter 12

**Okay, so first off, apologies are in order for taking so long to get this sucker finished. It is really a transition chapter so it was rather difficult for me to write, because I had to get everyone in place for the next part. That is also why it is a little longer than previous chapters. **

**Now that's out of the way...thank you to all you dears for sending your love. I really appreciate everyone's support in this task. Please stick with me through this transition. I promise it will be well worth it.**

**ENJOY!**

In his dark, bedroom Richie stood rigid with the phone in his hand. The other person on the line had been silently taking his statement and now he was on hold.

"Mr. Vanderlough."

"Yes,"

"We're going to need you to come downtown to give a formal statement."

Richie ran a hand through his hair. "Yes, well, as I've told you already, someone has stolen my Hummer and your fugitives have taken my only other means of transportation."

"Very well, sir. We will send a patrol out to pick you up. They should be there in about twenty minutes."

"Fine, I'll be waiting."

Richie threw the phone on the bed and sighed loudly. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine that he would be mixed up in intergalactic espionge. A movement made him look up. Keith was standing in the darkened doorway. Richie hadn't even heard it open. He squinted but found it nearly impossible to read the commander's face.

"Is it done?"

Richie nodded. "Wade is probably sending his whole search force out into the boonies looking for you. It should be a clear shot into Freetown. But they are sending a patrol out here to get me for a formal statement."

"We'll be gone by then. Thank you." With that, Keith turned to leave the room.

"Just so we're clear, Keith, I'm not doing this for anyone else but Deirdre."

The commander didn't bother to turn back to him as he walked into the hallway. "I know."

* * *

><p>It was no surprise to Wade when the phone started ringing incessantly in his home office. He had been waiting for the calls. He closed his favorite book and laid it gently down on his desk before pouring himself a drink and settling down to answer the barrage of information that he was about to take on. Cradling the phone to his ear, he pushed the answer switch. "This is Wade."<p>

"Sir, there's been an explosion in the lower level of Headquarters!"

"What?" Wade stood up from his desk banging his hand on the table just loud enough for the person on the other line to hear. "How could this have happened?"

"We're still not sure, sir. The blast wasn't large enough to damage any of the upper levels and it appears that nothing was compromised. We've got a crew still working on putting out the fire in the maintenance room."

"Casualties?" Wade smiled at his uncanny ability to feign concern when he knew good and well that there was only one casualty.

"Unconfirmed yet, sir. But Private Krouse was working the graveyard down there, and he is still unaccounted for, sir. We can't even send a forsenic team down there until the fire is out." There was silence on the line, and Wade knew that the young man on the other end was trying to figure out a way to tell him that their prisoner was missing. "There's something else, sir."

Right on cue. "Yes."

"Prince Lotor has somehow managed to escape during all the chaos."

"WHAT?" This time Wade knew he had to make it convincing. "How in the hell did you manage to let that happen?"

"I-um-well..."

"SPIT IT OUT, DAMN YOU!" he roared into the phone.

"We don't really know how he got out, sir. There was no evidence of forced entry. It was like he unlocked the cell doors and walked right out." The man sighed. "We have no idea where he is now."

"Well you better start looking, because I want this thing unfucked right now!"

"Yes, sir. Any further instructions, sir?"

"I want you to keep me updated throughout the whole investigation process."

"Yes, sir. I will contact you as soon as they have the fire out and begin a formal investigation."

Wade finally sat back down at his desk and poured himself another glass of brown liquid. "Good, and I also want to know how the search for Lotor is going. Regular updates."

"Yes, sir."

"Any word on the Voltron Force?"

"Negative sir. Not since the incident at the hotel, but we are currently blanketing the city."

Without announcement, Wade ended the call with a push of a button. He leaned back in his chair. Things were beginning to progress quite well now. The only chink in the chain right now was the unknown whereabouts of the Voltron Force. The set-up had worked perfectly. They were now not only wanted by Garrison, but the Alliance Counsil wanted them as well. Unfortunately, they had been evaded capture a little too well. Most likely due to the Garrison training that they had recieved. They were some of the most capable soldiers in the army. His smile turned to a smirk as he turned up his drink again. That was no matter. There was no way they could stay hidden forever.

He sat his drink down as his comm buzzed again. "This is Wade."

"Sir," It was a distinctly different voice.

"Yes, I know about the explosion and Lotor. And I'm handling it."

"This is about the Voltron Force, sir."

Wade sat up in his chair, his drink forgotten. "Oh?"

"We've just recieved a message from the Freetown PD. They've got a lead on their whereabouts."

"Is it credible?"

"Seems to be. It's Richie Vanderlough. According to him there is bad blood between him and some of the pilots. And he insisted that Deirdre McManus is innocent, and that he can prove it."

"I'll be there in 15. Scramble the search teams."

"Yes, sir."

Wade hit the comm once more, this time allowing himself a broad smile. He felt so close to victory that he could taste it. Once he had the Voltron Force, he would wait for Lotor to make his move, then he would crush the prince, and Voltron would be his.

* * *

><p>It had been some time since Lotor had been on a Drule battleship, especially one that was not his own. Wade had kept his promise again. Emperor Zeppo's ship had been waiting for him just outside the Brakah system halfway between Alliance and Drule space. Lotor smirked as he walked with his escort through the corridor leading to the bridge of the large vessel. Wade had been very useful thus far, but now Lotor had no more need for the man, and was looking forward to the day when he could crush him along with Galaxy Garrison.<p>

The doors to the bridge slid open to accomodate Lotor and the two Drule soldiers. The men who had been following him stopped at the doorway as the prince sauntered in to stand before the captain of the ship. He bowed slightly – more out of courtesy and any form of fealty.

Emperor Zeppo sat back in his chair and templed his fingers. "Prince Lotor, of planet Doom."

Lotor nodded. He had met Zeppo only once when he was younger, but his father had hated the Drule emperor with a passion. "Emperor."

"I'm pleased that you found your way here without incident."

"Yes."

"Of course, none of this would be necessary had you not been captured in the first place."

Lotor's jaw ticked as Zeppo rested his condescending gaze on the prince. He now understood why Zarkon had hated the man, and Lotor wanted nothing more than to throttle the man where he sat. But he refrained. While Lotor and his father had a feeble relationship at best, the king had taught his son a thing or two over the years – though Lotor would never admit it outright. One of his father's constant complaints about him was that his actions were impulsive and irratic, and that he lacked any kind of discipline when it came to speaking his mind. Dead or not, Lotor would prove his father wrong now. There was too much at stake now.

"You are correct, Emperor." Lotor pulled all of his focus not to choke on the words. "But I would like to prove that I still have some worth to you, Sire."

Zeppo narrowed his eyes. "How do you plan to do that?"

Lotor raised his chin and stood to his full height. "Give me a fleet of ships so that I may crush Arus."

The Drule emperor laughed loudly, making Lotor's blood boil. "Lotor, you and your father have been trying to conquer Arus for years. And what has it gotten you? Your father is dead, and you were nearly sent to prison for the rest of your life. Why should I risk my ships for your war that cannot be won?"

"The Voltron pilots have become fugitives on their own planet. As well as Princess Allura. Doom still has loyal planets throughout the galaxy who will come to my banner if I can show them that I have the support of the Drule Empire. Without Voltron, Arus is unprotected." He held his breath as Zeppo seemed to consider his plan. It was clear, however, that the emperor was still skeptical. "Sire, I understand that you and my father were at odds with each other more often that not."

"Your father was a narcissist," Zeppo snapped. "He wanted to run things his own way, whether he had the consent of the Empire or not."

Lotor was growing tired of Zeppo's attitude. But he still needed the man's help so he kept his own grievances to himself. "Yes, your excellency. But I am not my father. What I propose will not only stregthen the Empire, but it will make the Drules the true rulers of the Universe." Zeppo raised an eyebrow, and Lotor knew that he now had his attention so he decided it was time for the big offer. "I can bring Voltron under the rule of the Drule Empire."

Zeppo closed his eyes as he considered Lotor's proposition. He was a man of action. Lotor knew this. If Zeppo believed for a minute that he could control Arus and Voltron..."Very, well, Lotor. I will give you three ships to take to Arus. If you can deliever to me intel that proves that Arus can be taken, then I will move my armada in and take the planet in the name of the Drule Empire."

There was a moment of silence as Lotor let the words sink in. Of course he wanted to take Arus himself and rule as the King. In turn, keeping complete control of Voltron for himself. Having Zeppo come in and steal his thunder was not the ideal plan. However, Lotor knew that he had neither the men nor the ships to take even a crippled Arus alone. He would agree. Zeppo could be dealt with at a later date – when Lotor had everything that he wanted within his grasp.

He bowed his head. "Of course, Your Excellency."

* * *

><p>During his time in the Academy, Lance had always enjoyed the overnight training missions. Skulking around in the dark, catching the enemy team off guard. Now, as he lay in the tall grass, propping himself up on his elbows, he wondered how he had ever endured them. The ground was hard and the weeds threatened to send him into a sneezing fit. He imagined Keith, sitting comfortably in the charger only a mile down the dirt road, waiting for his report.<p>

He swatted at another mosqiuto on his ear as he gazed down the empty stretch of highway through the night goggles that had graciously been donated by Richie Vanderlough. Lance almost snickered. Nothing Richie had done thus far had been gracious, but even Lance had to admit that the man had put his neck on the line when he agreed to get Romelle and Sven back to Pollux, and then again when he had lied to the police about the team's whereabouts. Of course, Richie had make it abundantly clear that if it weren't for Deirdre, he would be just fine with letting the rest of them hang out to dry. Lance snorted. Deirdre hadn't mentioned anything about Richie until they had sought asylum at his cabin. He wondered idly why she had failed to mention the closeness of her relationship with Richie.

The sound of engines echoing through the darkness cut his musings short. He directed his focus to the horizon and was pleased to see a string of headlights heading in his direction. As the glare of the lights moved closer, he dropped his binoculars and lowered himself into the grass. One by one, a caravan of military trucks raced by him flanked by police vehicles, their lights flashing overhead. He counted fifteen before he gave up and felt a swell of pride. Wade was really sending out the troops for them. When the roar of the engines finally passed him by and faded into the distance, Lance fished his communicator out of his pocket.

"Looks like they took the bait, Keith. They must have half the military out looking for us."

"Let's just hope that the other half is busy doing something else."

Lance shook his head. The glass was always half empty with Keith. "We should have a pretty easy time getting into Freetown."

"Copy that. Pidge has a lock on Allura and Deirdre. With any luck we'll be able to grab them and get out before anyone's the wiser."

"Great." Lance crooned. "I don't think I've ever wanted to get off this rock so badly in my life. Now will you guys please come and get me out of these weeds? I think I'm starting to get a rash in some very uncomfortable places."

* * *

><p>The plan had worked just as Keith had predicted. Wade had pulled most of his military search team along with over half of the local police out of Freetown and sent them Bow City where Richie had tipped them that the Voltron Force would be. Romelle and Sven, escorted by Richie, had made the journey to the outskirts of Freetown without incident, but the ease of their travels did little to quell the overwhelming sense of dread that haunted Romelle.<p>

She glanced back to the rear of Richie's sedan for the umpteenth time to check on Sven. He seemed to be resting comfortably, half covered with an old blanket, but the hard lines etched into his face told her that he was still in pain. While their situation was hardly as precarious as the first time they had met in the pits of planet Doom, Romelle was beginning to wonder if their lives would ever be without danger lurking around every turn.

She turned back to the front and caught a look at herself in the rearview mirror. She had dawned one of Deirdre's outfits from Richie's closet, consisting of a frumpy t-shirt and a pair of jeans along with a bright green scarf that she had wrapped around her head and an antique pair of reading glasses that had belonged to Richie's grandmother. Her own mother would not even recognize her.

She turned to Richie sitting in the driver's seat. He had been silent since they had gotten the all clear from Keith to get back on the hightway, and Romelle wondered about his motives for helping them. She immediately berated herself for the doubt. He had no reason to help them, yet, here he was making himself an accessory just to get them safely back to Pollux. Why should she question his reasons?

"Thank you," she began quietly, "for helping us."

Richie glanced at her, and his features softened a bit. "I never had a problem with Sven, and you seem like you were just at the wrong place at the wrong time."

"You don't like the others that much, do you." It was more a statement than a question, and from the tick in Richie's jaw, Romelle knew that she was right.

"We have a long history," was all he offered.

Romelle took the hint and looked forward again. "Well, whatever reasons you have against them, I will say that they have saved my life more than once. And my cousin's entire planet. Arus would have been taken by Zarkon years ago if not for them."

Richie snorted. "They haven't always been that way. When I knew them, they were nothing but a bunch of ingrates. Keith always thought that he knew better than everyone else, and Lance...don't even get me started on that guy."

"And Hunk and Pidge?" Romelle had noticed at the cabin that most of Richie's hostility was aimed at the two senior officers, but he never seemed to have a problem with the others. "Guilty be association?"

"I never knew why a smart guy like Hunk hung out with them. And I don't really know Pidge all that well. He was several years behind us at the time."

"Oh," she fell silent for a moment, trying to process the information. "Well, thank you again, anyway," she finally said quietly.

Richie looked at her again, and this time, actually smiled. Romelle thought he had a nice smile. She could tell it was genuine when it reached his eyes. It was short lived, however, when bright lights envaded the darkness before them. His face returned to a concentrated frown as he pulled up to a security gate. "Here we go."

Romelle stiffened in her seat. "Do you think this will work?"

"We're about to find out," he said as he rolled down the window to greet the approaching security guard.

"What can I do for you tonight?"

Richie pulled Jeff's ship key out of his pocket along with an ID badge and presented it to the uniformed man. "I'm here to do some maintenance on my friend's ship."

The man glanced at the key, the narrowed his eyes at Richie. Then he leaned forward to get a better look at Romelle. The princess was sure that she would pass out from lack of oxygen when she couldn't seem to remember to breathe. The man scrutinized her so that she felt her flesh crawl.

"And who is this?"

"My assistant." Richie smiled and winked.

The guard looked at the badge again. "Give me just a moment."

"Certainly, officer."

The man stepped away from the car and walked back to his station. The silence in the car was deafening as time slowed down while they waited for the officer to decide their fate. Romelle squirmed in her seat. "What's taking so long?" She spoke in shallow breaths, sure at any moment that she was going to start hyperventilating.

Richie turned to Romelle. "Relax. He's just doing his job." he coaxed her. "You have got to maintain yourself or we're all dead."

Finally able to find her breath again, she spoke spoke softly. "I'm trying. I've just never had to do anything like this before." She jumped when she felt something touching her. Turning back, she saw Sven's hand on her arm. Even in the dim light, she could see him peeking out from underneath the blanket, smiling gently at her.

"You can do this, love." he whispered.

With that simple statement, Romelle felt a renewed sense of confidence. She nodded, took a deep breath, and turned back toward the lights in front of her. Yes, she could do this. She squared her shoulders as the officer walked back to the car. His face was completely unreadable. While she told herself not to completely loose it, she could not stop the uncontrollable thumping in her chest. The man approached the car and leaned in the driver's side window. He looked from Romelle to Richie, and Romelle wondered if he was going to say something or if he was just jerking them around.

"Looks like everything checks out. The Commander called earlier this evening and said to expect a service call for his ship." He handing the badge and key back to Richie. "Hanger 7. Drive straight back and to the left."

Richie smiled at him. "Thank you, officer."

The man tapped the window and nodded. He moved back to the stationhouse. Romelle let out the breath she had been holding as the gate before them whined open for them. This time Richie gave her a big grin that stretched from ear to ear.

"Should be clear sailing from here on out."

* * *

><p>The irony was not lost on Keith that The Emerald City's neon sign blinded would be patrons with a bright pink glow. What did confuse the commander, as he stared at the front door, was why Allura and Deirdre had chosen a strip club for their cover.<p>

Lance approached and rested his elbow on his shoulder. "I know what you're thinking." Lance shrugged. "But it actually makes a lot of sense."

"How's that?"

"Look around. The only people in this part of town at this time of night are the scum of Freetown. The owners of these fine establishments pay the higher ups in the police department to keep their guys out of this part of town. It's a perfect place for a couple of fugitives to stay anonymous."

Keith blew out a slow breath. "I suppose you're right."

Lance perked up. "What? I'm sorry, could you repeat that, Commander?"

Keith narrowed his eyes. "Unless you want another one of those to match..." He pointed to the still prominate bruise on his friend's jaw, which he had received from Keith, courtesy of his own big mouth.

His second in command jumped back, throwing his hands up. "Alright, alright...Let's just get the ladies and get out of here." He pulled the door open and ushered Keith, Hunk, and Pidge through.

The team was overwhelmed by the spinning disco lights and thumping music that bombarded them as they walked into the main room. The smell of alcohol and sweat hung in the air. Even Lance began to feel dirty just walking into the room. With a quick scan of the room, he caught a glimpse of unruly red hair close to the main stage. Quickly getting the other's attention, Lance made a quick trip across the room to stand next to Deirdre whose attention was focused on the stage. Giving her a quick once over, he grinned and leaned close to her.

"Nice outfit."

Deirdre jumped, spinning and nearly knocking him down. Recognition registered on her face when she realized it was Lance. The barrage of curse words that Lance had expected died on her lips when the others approached to stand behind him and Lance was almost sure that a nervous, even shameful expression crossed her face. Very un-Deirdre-like. She quickly recovered and raised an irritated eyebrow at him.

"You have no idea what we have been through tonight." She ground through her teeth as the thumping music faded and was replaced by a fast paced guitar riffed, signaling that the next song had started.

Keith stepped forward. "We can talk about it later. We've got to get out of here. Where's Allura?"

Deirdre's eyes dropped to the floor. He moved closer to her. "Deirdre, where's Allura?"

"Okay, Keith, just so you know, this was not my idea."

The commander cocked his head and narrowed his eyes at her. Before he could question her further...

"Oh-my-god!" Lance suddenly blurted out.

They turned to follow his gaze. A young woman had emerged on to the stage. Well, it was more of a sashay, if you were to ask Lance. Her outfit was a duplicate of the short, haltered dress that Deirdre wore that nearly showed every inch of the long legs that pranced forward into the fast moving, multicolored orbs that lit the stage. To those who didn't know her, it would have been nearly impossible to identify the Princess of Arus in the short, black wig and pink cowboy hat. Her flat shoes had been replaced by a pair of cowboy boots to match. But to the four men unable to tear their eyes away from the scene, there was no mistaking the big, blue eyes and the all too familiar determined expression as she moved with the music. It was definitely their Allura.

To the left of the stage, a group of rowdy men whooped and hollered as she moved to the beat. She looked in their direction and seemed to gain a certain amount of encouragement as she moved toward them.

Keith, finally recovering from the sudden shock, turned to question Deirdre only to find that she had slipped away from him to strategically place Lance between them. She saw him looking at her and gave him a sheepish smile. "What the hell is this?"

"It was wasn't my fault," she blurted out, "that scum bag Sonny wanted five hundred bucks for us to stay here until you came. We didn't have any cash, so he wanted one of us to dance."

Keith's face darkened, and Lance could see what was coming next. This was neither the time nor the place for Keith and Deirdre to have it out, so he took it upon himself to defuse the situation. Unfortunately, such things were not his forte. So he said the first thing he could think of to change the subject. "You know, she's really not bad." he remarked, eyes still on the stage.

"Shut up, Lance." Keith snapped at him.

"Look, Keith," Deirdre continued, "she volunteered. I would have done it myself, but I lost my pink wig during a run-in with the cops, and I would be recognized as soon as I walked on stage."

"Pink wig, huh?" Lance interjected. "Sorry I missed that."

"SHUT UP, LANCE!" Keith and Deirdre both barked at the same time.

"We have to get her off that stage." Keith commanded.

Deirdre shook her head. "Not a good idea. Pulling her now would definitely cause a scene. And we do not want a scene, right now. She has to finish the song."

Keith watched her for a moment before conceeding that she was right. He turned back to the stage to see Allura still dancing in front of the loud, drunk guys to the left of the stage. Her confidence had definitly picked up from their attention and now she definitly grooving to the music, doing cute little turns causing her short skirt to give them just barely a glimpse of her panties underneath. Keith ground his teeth as the men salivated over her like she was a perfectly cooked steak. She was the Princess of Arus for god's sake, and Keith deemed it completely inappropriate. He decided that he would tell her so when this was all over.

The tide turned unexpectedly on the commander, howeverm when she suddenly tossed her head around, and seemed to see them for the first time. Her smile widened even more as she pivoted on her feet and was now making her way toward them. The comfort level of the male persuastion of the Voltron Force suddenly hit rock bottom as she pranced over to stand in front of them, swiveling her hips back and forth.

"Um, Hunk?"

The largest member of the team tore his eyes away from the stage to glance down at Pidge who looked as if his face were about to explode into a ball of red flames. It occurred to Hunk that this was probably the first time that Pidge had actually been in a strip club, and watching Allura moving around on the stage was having a very strong affect on the young man. In fact, he looked as if he might pass out any minute. Hunk really couldn't blame the kid. There was something almost incestous about watching the young woman who had been nothing more than a girl when they had met her, moving around in such a provacative manner.

"Guys, I think Pidge and I are going to wait by the door. Get some fresh air. You know, in case we need to get out quick or something." His comments were lost but he snatched Pidge up by the scruff of his neck and hauled him away from the stage.

Keith neither heard nor saw them leave. The conflicted feelings that were waging war within his body was going to be his undoing. The rational part of him, that is, his brain, was telling him to avert his eyes - that the whole thing was wrong. Not only was she a princess under his protection, but he was her commanding officer. The whole thing reeked of inpropriety. On the other hand, the rest of him, was screaming not to look away. He suddenly wished that he had Lance's uncanny ability to shut down that rational part of his brain. After all, Allura was a very beautiful woman. Men all over the galaxy coveted her. Why shouldn't he be able to appreciate her the way other men did?

The whole thing was about to drive him to the nut house when Allura suddenly made eye contact with him. She seemed to sense his inner conflict and decided to have a little fun. Dropping to her knees, she slithered on all fours until she was right in front of him. She reached out and ran a hand through his hair. With the other hand she took off her cowboy hat and dropped it on top of his head, all the while grinning from ear to ear. Then she leaned ever farther and planted a feather soft kiss on his cheek before pulling back again and getting to her feet.

He watched her walk away and realized that she had made a very calculated move. She understood his conflict and, in her own way, was telling him that it was okay. That, not only did she not mind if she watched her, but she wanted him to enjoy it. _To hell with it, _he thought. _Inpropriety be damned. _

Deirdre was quite impressed with Allura's performance. The princess had proven herself to be very competent under pressure and could defintely improvise when circumstances dictated. It wasn't until she made the bold gesture to Keith that something clicked. Something in the commander's demeaner suddenly changed. She had to look closely, but it almost looked like he was enjoying himself – even smiling. Deirdre bit her lip and nudged Lance who finally tore his eyes away from the sortid scene. He followed her gaze to where Keith stood in a trance like state, now grinning stupidly with a bright pink cowboy hat afixed to his head. Lance and Deirdre shared a knowing smile before both breaking into a fit of hysterics.

The song ended – all too soon for some – and Allura finished her routine with a dramatic pose in the middle of the stage. The crowd erupted in coos and jeers as she took a small bow before hurrying to the steps to the left of the stage. It had been a very exillerating experience for her. It wasn't often that men around her really appreciated that she was more than her title suggested. A hot-blooded young woman who enjoyed having men think she was beautiful, and actually show it. She skipped down the stage, still riding high from the crowds response to find Lance waiting for her, leaning against the railing, his arms crossed in front of him.

"Well, well, Princess, never thought I'd get to see that side of you." he chided. Of course, there was a double meaning in that, but he was pretty sure that she didn't catch it. "You looked great up there."

She beamed at him as he put his arm around her shoulder and led her toward the others. "Why, thank you, Lance."

He leaned in close as they neared. "And I think even Keith was enjoying himself."Allura blushed deeply but said nothing as they approached Keith and Deirdre. "Keith! I was just telling Allura how much we enjoyed her show." Lance grinned like a cheshire cat.

Keith, whose previous spell had apparently been broken, cleared his throat loudly to cover his embarrassment. He was now fingering the pink hat nervously in his hands. "Yes, well, you did a nice job keeping your cover, Allura."

Allura narrowed her eyes and frowned. Surely she hadn't misinterpreted the signals she had been getting on stage. She was sure that he had liked her dance. But now, it seemed as if the old Keith had returned and now regarded her with the same ambiguous expression that he always did. Fine, she decided. If he could be dismissive, so could she. "Thank you, Keith." she said curtly before snatching the hat and moving passed him toward the door. A guilty look crossed his face as he turned to follow her. He knew what he had done.

Deirdre, clearly confused by the interaction, glanced at Lance who only shrugged. "You get used to it after a while."

"Whatever you say," she said and followed Lance toward the exit.

They were almost out the door, when Sonny stepped in front of them, effectively halting there progress.

"Hold on, there." His gaze raked over Allura. "Where do you think you're going?"

Deirdre stepped up to confront him, scowling. "We had a deal, Sonny! She danced, now we're outta here." She attempted to walk passed him only to have him grab her arm roughly.

"I don't think I quite got my money's worth, yet."

"Hey, hands off!" Lance pushed his way between Sonny and Deirdre breaking the other man's hold on her.

Max, who had been standing at the door watching the scene unfold, moved quickly to intercept Lance. He was no match for Hunk's lightening fast reflexes, however. Hunk grabbed the man from behind using brute strength to wrench Max's arm behind him, pinning him to the bar. While Max was indeed a hulk of a man, Hunk still had more than an inch on him, as well as about thirty pounds.

Sonny, with wide eyes, glanced from Max back to Lance, who was now smiling at him. "You know," Lance began, "I've been in a lot of bars in my time, and there is one thing I've learned. You don't have to be the biggest guy in the room to win a fight." He leaned closer. "You just have to have the biggest guy on your side." He turned to Deirdre, Keith, and Allura. "Shall we?"

Deirdre moved passed the two men first throwing a flippant smile at Sonny followed by Keith and Allura. The rest filed out behind them before Hunk hauled Max back to his feet and brushed the crumbs from the bar off his jacket. He patted Max on the shoulder and turned to follow his team out.

Allura took a deep breath as soon as she hit the pavement outside. "I am so glad to be out of there."

"Really?" Lance quipped, "cause it looked to me like you were having fun in there." His jest was rewarded with a swift punch to the arm by Deirdre. He rubbed his arm and feigned hurt.

"Alright, everyone," Keith said, "let's get it together. We need to get to a ship and get the hell off Earth, now."

"My baby!" Deirdre screeched as she bolted to where her Charger was parked by the curb, throwing herself on the hood.

Lance made a face. "Uh, why isn't she ever that happy to see me?"

"I can't imagine, Lance," Keith said. "Now let's get going." He started toward the car.

"Um, not to be a total downer," Pidge chimed in, "but where are we going to get a ship?"

"My ship's docked just outside of town. Noone will get in the way of us taking off. We can take her."

"We?" Lance smirked. "You planning on coming with us?"

Deirdre leaned casually against her car, folding her arms across her chest. "Well, since I've burned almost every bridge in Freetown, and I'm still on the hook for aiding wanted criminals...now seems like a good time to cut my losses and get outta Dodge." She walked around to the driver's side of the car. "I've still got contacts around the galaxy. I'm sure I can find a place to lay low."

Before she could get in the car, Allura grabbed her, pulling her into a hug. When she released Deirdre, tears welled up in her eyes. "Thank you, Deirdre. For everything."

"Don't let her fool you, Allura." Lance laid an arm casually on Allura's shoulder, grinning stupidly. "She just can't get enough of me, that's all." His remark earned him another punch in the arm – this time from Allura. "Hey," he pouted, rubbing his arm, "I think the two of you have been spending way too much time together."

"Ahem..." They turned to where Keith, Hunk, and Pidge still stood on the sidewalk. "If the three of you are done acting like third graders on the playground, we still have to get out of here before Wade realizes that he's been had and comes back looking for us."

In tandum, all three stuck their tongues out at Keith before piling into the Charger. Keith shook his head and sighed. It was going to be a long trip back to Arus.

**This is officially the end of part one. Not to worry though, part two will be up soon with everyone back safely on Arus. Obviously, we still have some unresolved issues :) And the danger is far from over. Wade and Lotor still have every intention of carrying out their malicious plans. Wha-ha-ha-ha...**

**Cheesy, I know. But what the hell :) See you soon.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Welcome back. This is the beginning of part 2 of the story. I know that it's really just chapter 13, but the story itself is kind of set up in three acts. So for those purposes, this is Act II. Anyway, thanks to all of you who have stuck with it so far and continue to show your support via your wonderful reviews (hint, hint). **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Planet Doom was not as Lotor had remembered it. When he had been on the planet last, his father's castle had still stood proudly – rising to stratosphere, striking fear into the hearts of all that would oppose him. Now, it was a crumbling reminder of how King Zarkon and his witch, Hagar, had perished. That was just before Lotor had been taken by the revolting Voltron Force. While he had never really loved his father – and could care less if he was dead or not – Lotor was glad that he had not been there to watch his own legacy destroyed by the wretched robot.<p>

The one part of the castle that still stood was the throne room. The prince ordered his new Drule charges to stay with the ship, and he, alone, climbed through the rubble until he pushed his way through to the open room with the tall staircase. Large boulders, dust, and debris covered the once golden chair that had been his father's. It was his now. Gritting his teeth, he climbed the massive staircase. After sweeping dust and rocks off of the throne, he sat and looked out over the Great Room. It was empty, but he still felt the immeasurable power that came with sitting atop his new perch. The emptiness was no matter. He would rebuild the castle and fill it with slaves. He would reign supreme.

"Enjoying your new throne, _King _Lotor?"

He had been so lost in his own thoughts that he never noticed that figure skulking in the shadows behind him. Standing quickly, he spun around to face the voice, reaching for his sword.

"Heh heh...a little jumping, aren't you?" The robe figure emerged into the dim light.

Lotor's jaw dropped. "Hagar?" he said, distaste dripping from the name. While he couldn't see her face under the hood, her glowing, red eyes blinked at him and he was sure that she was laughing quietly at him. "I thought you died with my father."

"Tsk, tsk, Your Majesty. You father was a great wizard, but his magic was still no match for my own. I have died and returned from the underworld."

The words sent a chill down his spine. Was she a ghost? She looked real enough. He reached out and felt her cold cloak beneath his fingers. She was real alright. "I'm standing here talking to a dead woman. Wonderful."

"I am not dead. And I am not a ghost. I am alive as I ever was."

Lotor grunted. "That's not saying much, Hagar." He was answered with a solid smack across the face. His face screwed up in anger. "How dare you strike me!" He moved to confront her only to find that he was frozen in place as she raised her hand.

"Shut up, Lotor," she commanded. She lowered her hand, releasing him from her spell. He stood for a moment, speechless, before shaking his head in disgust and dropping back into his chair. "I am here to help you destroy the Voltron Force," she claimed.

Lotor laughed loudly. "You are too late, Woman, the Voltron Force is on Earth, being hunted by their own people. Why do I need your help?" he sneered. "I've got the entire Drule army at my call."

"No amount of ships or Drule technology can give you what I can give you."

"And what exactly can you give me?"

"Voltron."

"Ha!" Lotor was getting bored from the conversation. "Once Arus falls, Voltron will be mine!"

"You are overconfident. The one thing that you have always overlooked is what lies at the very core of Voltron."

"And what is that?"

"Magic." Hagar paused to let him comprehend. "Voltron is magic. Created from white magic. And as long as it is under the protection of white magic, you will never control him."

"But the Earth pilots. How did they...?"

"Voltron chose them. Because they are noble, loyal, and sacrificial. They will always put their own lives in peril to save the innocent. These traits are the embodiment of light magic."

"So how do I...?"

"Only dark magic can break the spell of protecion on Voltron, Lotor." She paused again. "I have clawed my way out of hell to return to you." The witch leaned in closer, and Lotor could feel the deathly cold that surrounded her. "I have the power to break Voltron's spell and bring the robot under our control."

* * *

><p>Arus – Three Days Later<p>

The flight back to Arus had been bittersweet to say the least. The Voltron Force had evaded capture and managed to make it back to the planet without incident. There had been a brief moment when they thought they would be stopped by an Alliance blockade just outside of the Denubian galaxy. With a detour through what was known as the Void system, they had routed their way around the blockade – losing nearly two days.

The tension and the close quarters had taken its toll on the team, and by the time they made it back to Arus, they had found ways to all but avoid each other. After a very welcomed reunion with Rebecca, Hunk had been more than excited when Keith assigned him to rewire most of the castle's internal circuitry.

Pidge was tasked with breaking into Galaxy Garrison's mainframe to get any information on Wade and Graham. It had turned into an insurmountable assignment. Pidge had decided that the only way to pull it off was to create a signal that could be bounced off of several satellites and still not be detected by Garrison security. It was a challenge that only Pidge could accept with such zeal. He had locked himself in his room, determined that he would figure out how to do it.

Little had been seen of Allura who had been spending the majority of her time in her office working, diligently studying intergalactic ethics and politics in order to find a way to deal with what had happened on Earth – and how she would handle it diplomatically. She leaned back in her desk chair, stretching her hands above her head, and glanced at the clock. Almost eight o'clock. She sighed loudly before pushing her chair back and making her way back to window. Pushing the curtains aside, she stared at the darkening sky. It seemed like an enourmous task. There was no way to avoid sanctions from Earth without first proving herself and the others innocent of the murder. But how could they possibly do that being so far away? Finally having enough, she turned from the window and decided she needed a break. She needed to clear her head.

She found herself heading toward the castle's main control room. There was no question why. She knew that Keith was there helping Hunk finish up his updates on the modified circuitry. While she didn't want to admit it, she was having withdrawls. Since they had been back on Arus, she had taken a self-imposed sabbatical from the commander – making it a point to stay as busy as she could so that she wouldn't 'run into him.' She had even gone so far as to refuse his help as she tried to find a solution to their Earth problem, telling him that he had more pressing matters to attend that didn't involve her planetary affairs. It had been cruel, she knew, but she had decided that she would have learn to get along on her own eventually. She had been fooling herself, of course. The more time she spent away from him, the more she wanted to see him. To her own irritation, she found herself longing for his stoic advice. She needed it desperately now.

Keith was sitting at the main console, watching the black viewscreen with such intensity that Allura thought that he hadn't noticed her come in. She was wrong.

"Try it again, Hunk."

The viewscreen flashed a couple of times before blinking to life, giving them a bird's eye view of the Arus landscape. The sun was beginning to set casting deep reds and purples across the rolling hills. Allura was getting lost in the scene before Keith spoke again.

"Something I can do for you, Princess?" His eyes never left the viewscreen.

Allura's back stiffened. She hated when he called her 'Princess' like that. It was so cold, so formal. It meant that he was still upset with her earlier dismissal. "Well, I wanted to talk to you..."

"I'm sorry, Princess, but Hunk and I are in the middle of something, right now. We really need to get this new circuitry up and running. Can we talk later?"

Now Allura was speechless. He had never written her off like that before. He was always open to talking with her. She bit her lip. She would not cry in front of him.

Before she could respond, the doors slid open and Lance strolled casually into the room as if he hadn't a care in the world. He stopped short, immediately sensing that he had intruded on something important. "Hey, don't mind me, kids, I'm just heading out for my patrol. I'll be out of your hair in a matter of seconds."

"Don't bother," Allura snapped. "I'll go. I'm scheduled right after you, you can take my shift."

Lance cocked his head and raised an eyebrow. After glancing from Allura to Keith and back again, he only shrugged. _Better not to get involved._ "Suit yourself."

Allura looked pointedly at Keith and motioned to the console. "If you don't mind, _Commander._"

The commander's jaw ticked, and his expression read that he wanted to say something to her. He obviously thought better of it and pushed the button to reveal the entrances to the lions. Allura turned harshly on her heel, marched to the shute labled 4, and disappeared. As the silence in the control room became unbearable, Keith leveled his gaze at Lance, daring him to say something.

Lance only smirked. "Well, if I'm not needed, I think I will go to the kitchen and find something to eat." He didn't wait for a response as he hurried from the room.

A sound from the console made Keith start. He had forgotten that Hunk was still in the room until the bigger man stuck his head out from under the console. Hunk watched him silently.

"What?" Keith damanded.

"You know, Keith," said Hunk as he climbed out from under the console, a wrench in each hand, "I make it a point not to get involved in other people's business..."

"So don't." Keith snapped.

"But don't you think you're being a little hard on Allura?" Hunk was standing in front of him now, his massive arms crossed in front of him. He hated it when Keith and Allura butted heads. Mostly because he hated what Keith would inevitably do or say to set the princess into a tizzy. To be fair, though, Allura could be like a time bomb sometimes. They never knew what might set her off. Hunk shook his head. But what woman didn't get a little crazy every now and again? But sometimes it seemed like Keith would intentionally be hurtful. Probably to keep the pretty princess at arm's length, Hunk surmised. Regardless, it was bad for moral, and he hated to see Allura in pain.

Keith turned back to the console. "I don't want to talk about it."

Hunk frowned. "Maybe, that's the problem," he observed.

The commander just stared at him, and Hunk knew that he had hit a sore spot. "Can we just finish these diagnostics, Hunk? I'd like to get some kind of sleep tonight."

Hunk sighed. No getting through to the man when he had his mind made up. He nodded sulleningly. "Sure, the mods are finished, I'll start on a complete system scan."

Keith ran a hand through his hair. "Fine!" he finally said, dropping back down into his chair, he watched as Blue Lion darted into the now dark, star spotted sky.

* * *

><p>When the doors to the kitchen slid open, Lance was bombarded with a smell that made him think that he had walked right into the gates of heaven. The sweet aroma hung in the air and enveloped him like a sugary blanket. It reminded him of the mornings during the holidays on Earth, when his mother would be up early, already concocting a barrage of candies and sweets for her children. It was the only time of the year that his mother would allow them to indulge. And while she always lectured them on the dangers of too much sugar, Lance knew that she secretly loved baking for them.<p>

He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. It was only then that he noticed the music that was playing in the background. His eyes snapped open with suprise. The music was so familiar to him that he almost had an irresistable urge to sing along with Keith's melodic voice. Of course, Lance had written the snappy guitar riff himself. When they had been in the academy, Keith, Lance, Sven, and Hunk had started a garage band as a hobby. They had even self produced a couple of albums, but their unrelenting training schedule had resigned them to playing only local bars when they were on leave. They had built up quite a local following. And the girls. None of them ever had any problem getting dates in those days. It seemed like a million years ago.

Deirdre was staring at him from where she stood in front of the oven. She was wearing one of nanny's aprons, which hung loosely on her own curvy body, and had both hands covered with oven mitts. "Are you okay, Lance? You look like you've just seen a ghost."

"More like _heard _a ghost." he quipped, reaching for a cookie still on the sheet. He jerked his hand back and swore loudly.

"They're still hot." she said.

He grunted and stuck his finger in his mouth. "Where the hell did you get that?" He pointed to the music player on the counter with the other hand.

Deirdre smiled before turning back to her cookie batter. "I have both of your albums. I pull them out every now and them."

"Those things need to be sent to the no fishing zone."

She giggled. "Oh come on, they're not that bad."

There was a moment of silence as they listened to the melody coming from the speakers. Even Lance started swaying to the music. It definitly took him back to simpler times. Another lifetime. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"I like to listen to it when I'm cooking," she said, "it used to drive Richie nuts." She smiled as she recalled the memory.

_Well,_ Lance thought, _I'm not going to get a better opening than that. _He leaned casually across the bar. "Speaking of Richie, what's the deal with the two of you?"

Deirdre kept her attention on the bowl in front of her as she stirred the batter with a wooden spoon. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, Deirdre, that we had a deal. Remember? One that you came up with yourself." He paused and waited for her to turn to him so he knew he had her attention. "No screwing around if either one of us are seeing someone else." He paused again. "No jealousy from a third party, no drama, nobody gets their feelings hurt."

"I remember our _deal._" she said matter-of-factly. "What's your point, Lance?"

"My point is that your should have told me that you and Richie were...whatever you are."

Deirdre cocked her head to the side and raised an eyebrow. "Just what exactly do you think is going on between me and Richie?"

"Don't be coy, Deirdre, it doesn't suit you." he said. "The way he reacted when he found us at his cabin? I mean, no guy who is just a friend throws a fit like that unless there's something else going on. And honestly, I don't really care what you guys are doing." _Okay, that wasn't exactly being honest. _"I would just like to be better informed before we continue on with our arrangement."

Now Deirdre smiled sweetly at him. "You're right, Lance. Total disclosure. There is nothing going on between me and Richie because he doesn't like me that way."

"Are you sure about that? Because he sure didn't act like he didn't care when Keith and I showed up."

She through her hands up in the air. "Oh my god! Do I have to spell it out for you?" She slammed her hands on the counter and leaned in towards him. "Richie-likes-guys."

Silence hung in the air for a moment as Lance took in this new information. His first reaction was total shock. "Really? That mountain of a man is..." She nodded and smiled. Then he was in disbelief. "No, that is not possible." He shook his head violently.

"Why not?" she asked, enjoying his confused reaction.

"Because..." Lance stammered, "because he never..."

"Hit on you?" Deirdre finished for him. He nodded. If there was one thing she knew about Lance, it was that he was incredibly vain. "Lance, are you really that full of yourself?"

"Oh come on, Deirdre, you know that gay men love me!" he stated. "I've got great hair, great clothes, and I'm suave and confident, I can dance..." He stopped short when she began laughing loudly. "What is so funny?"

She waited until she caught her breath. "Really, Lance, you should hear yourself." When she was finally done giggling, she dawned a faux serious face. "I think Hunk is more his type."

"Are you serious?"

Deirdre shrugged. "I guess he likes the bigger, manlier types."

Lance crossed his arms and pouted for a moment, then he relaxed slightly. "So, if you two aren't a thing, why does he hate me and Keith so much?"

She was silent for a moment as she searched for the right explanation. "He's very protective of me. Especially when it comes to you guys. He knows our history," she said, shrugging, "and he doesn't think it's good for me to mess around with you. He also blames the two of you for me leaving Galaxy Garrison."

Lance frowned. "You did explain to him that it was your idea right?" She nodded. "And that it was Keith, Sven, and I that went after you when you were sent on that suicide mission."

She nodded again. "He says that if I hadn't been involved with Keith that I never would have ended up on his team. Ergo, I would never have been sent on the Dias Mission in the first place."

Lance shrugged. "There's a certain twisted logic to that I suppose."

"He just never got the bond that we all had back then. He never understood that we would have done anything for each other. And..." she continued, "I think when Richie and I were dating, he was kind of jealous of you. He never really got over that either."

The last statement jerked Lance out of his stupor. "Jealous of me?" He grinned. "Well, that's not too hard to understand."

Before Deirdre could come up with a snarky retort, the kitchen doors opened and Pidge strolled in. "I thought I smelled something good coming from in here."

Deirdre smiled and dropped a plate of cookies in front of him. "Brain food. My mom's special recipe."

Pidge proceeded to stuff his face with the delicate treats, he looked up just long enough to notice Lance's maniacal grin. "What's up with you?" he said between bites.

"Oh, Lance is just having a self appreciating moment. He'll get over it." Deirdre informed him, getting a scowl from Lance, but Pidge had already turned his attention back to the plate in front of him.

* * *

><p>There was nothing better for a troubled soul, in Allura's opinion, than soaring over the Arusian landscape at night – especially during peace time. Nothing pleased the princess more than flying over dotted lights of the cities that populated her kingdom. Her people were safe and at ease, and it reflected in the landscape. Farms were being planted, smaller towns were popping up throughout the land.<p>

She sighed as she relaxed her grip on Blue Lion's controls and gazed into the dark. Her people were some of the most resiliant in the universe. They had most certainly suffered more than the average population, yet they had always perserved, rebuilt, and always – always – stood behind their monarch. Allura was unsure whether or not she truly deserved such loyalty. Then there was always the silent fear that the shoe would drop and her planet would be at war again. It was always a terror that loomed over Allura's very being.

While her mind wandered, Allura was unaware of the changing atmosphere until her sensors began beeping loudly. She peered out the viewscreen and saw the very strange fog that was beginning to roll in.

"Princess?" Keith's voice pierced the silence in the cockpit. "What's going on out there?"

"I'm not sure, Keith." Allura watched her scanners. They were beginning spike at an alarming rate. First to one extreme, then the other. "My sensors are going haywire. I don't know what's causing it."

Then the first tremor jerked her in her seat.

Keith was standing now staring at Allura's image as it flickered on the screen. "What just happened?"

"I don't know. Blue Lion is...acting strange." The screen suddenly went dark, and the lights in the control room flickered. "The controls are not responding. I'm losing altitude! Keith...!" A horrifying scream ripped through room and slammed into Keith's chest.

"Princess...what's happening?" There was no answer. "Allura!" There was a high pitched squeal from the monitor before the Castle of Lions was plunged into complete darkness.

**You all know that I love a good cliffhanger :) I am going to give everyone a **Fair warning: Things are going to get a little darker from here on out. Lots of angst, some violence, and a lot of action. Alas nothing that might tarnish my T rating (maybe on the next one). I know you can handle it. Til next time!****


	14. Chapter 14

**So, not much to say this time. Thanks to all for your encouragement. Enjoy!**

"What happened?" Keith demanded.

In the darkeness he heard Hunk's massive movements. Then there was a loud crash. A steady beam of light shone from a nearby wall right into Keith's face. Hunk had smashed the glass plate that housed the emergency equpiment, including two hands free flashlights that attached to the wrist. He tossed the other light to Keith before quickly moving back to the main computer. His fingers flew across the console. Nothing happened. He brought his fist down hard on the keys.

"You told me that you fixed those damn circuits!" Keith growled at him.

"I did, Keith, I swear." Hunk tossed the chair out of the way to climb under the console.

"Well? What the hell caused the black out, and what happened to Blue Lion?"

There was a loud thumping on the other side of the door leading to the outside corridor, and Keith could hear Lance's frustrated calls. "Hey, anyone in there?"

"Yeah, we're here. You'll have to use the manual switch to open the door."

"The what? What the hell is the manual switch?"

"Move out of the way!"

"Ow! Take it easy, Pidge."

"I can't believe you don't know how to open the door manually."

"I never had to, Pidge."

"Typical."

"Shut up, Deirdre."

The door gave a great whine and slowly moved to one side. It took both Lance and Pidge to force it all the way. They tumbled in followed closely by Deirdre who was wielding two hand held flashlights. When the two pilots had picked themselves up off the ground she handed one to Pidge, but refused to give Lance the other one.

"I guess I know who I want to be stuck with in a crisis. The one who can open the door."

Lance stuck his tongue out as she moved away from him and toward where Keith was standing still shining his light down so that Hunk could see. She walked passed the console to the window where nothing was visible through the soupy fog that had surrounded the castle.

"Hunk, what happened?" Pidge leapt into the chair and began fiddling with the buttons.

The large man's head reappeared from under the console. "I don't know. Everything looks like it's in order. Even the emergency generator is out." He stood up and looked at Keith. "We gotta find out what happened."

"Do you think that might have something to do with it?" They all turned to look at Deirdre who was still standing in front of the window, staring out. Keith shined his light on her. She pointed to the thick fog swirling around the castle.

Frowning deeply, Keith went to stand next to her. "What is it?"

"It's magic."

"How do you know?"

"Can't you feel it? Something dark is surrounding the castle."

Keith stared out the window at the clouds moving in. There was a different feel to the climate. Like electricity in the air.

Hunk climbed out from under the console. "Whatever it is, it's affecting the castle's circuitry."

"The castle and the Lions are bound together in a symbiotic relationship." Pidge said, "One cannot function without the other. If the castle's main system has been taken offline by magic, it's a good bet that is what is affecting the Lions."

Lance's heart stopped cold in his chest. "Where's Allura?"

"She was still out on _your _patrol." Keith stated matter of factly. "We lost contact just before the power went out."

"Well, we've got to go find her." Lance said firmly, blatantly ignoring Keith's accusation that he might some how be at fault for Allura's disappearance. "If the Lion's are down, she'll be a sitting duck out there."

The normally reserved Pidge grunted loudly. "And how do you think you're going to do that? In case you haven't noticed, we don't have any functioning ships."

"Yes, we do." Deirdre said. "Siren. She's not connected to the castle. With the mods Hunk's been helping me put on the scanners, I should be able to manuvuer through this mess." She pointed to the fog out the window. She looked to the large man for confirmation.

Hunk rubbed his chin. "Sure."

"Good. Then I'm going to look for her." Deirdre started toward the door with Lance on her heels.

"I'm going with you."

"Wait," They both turned to look at Keith. "I'm going. Lance you stay here."

"No way, Chief," Lance had a good argument ready to unload, but it died on his lips as he met Keith's set expression. Instead, he crossed his arms and pouted. "Fine."

Keith gave him a grateful nod as a sign of mutual understanding. "Take care of things here."

Lance watched frustrated as Keith and Deirdre left quickly. As soon as they were gone, he turned to Hunk and Pidge. "Alright guys. I want any power you can get to set up some kind of communication with The Siren."

"How are we suppose to do that?" Hunk complained.

"I don't care, Hunk. Rub two sticks together and make a spark, anything you can do."

Hunk was thoughtful for a moment, then a grin spread across his face. "I think I have an idea."

* * *

><p>Far above Arus, in the bowels of the Drule command ship, The Inferno, Lotor all but skipped down the darkened corridor. Their progress was remarkable. One of the lion ships had fallen from the sky. There was no energy signature coming from the castle. Invasion was all but inevitable now. His swagger slowed when he finally reached his destination.<p>

Hagar's laboratory was just as anyone would imagine. Dark and dank, littered with various plants and creepy crawlies that she used in her potions and spells. Bookcases lined the walls and were weighed down with stacks of books, some standing at attention with their spines out, others leaning or laying flat. Hagar had in no way inherited an organization gene. Lotor found her at a makeshift alter of sorts at the back of the room. She was hunched over an oversized book that looked as if she couldn't even lift it. Rather than traverse the mess, Lotor remained at the open door, leaning casually against the frame.

"Well, Hagar, it appears that your magic has worked."

"Yes, Lotor," she said as if it was obvious. "my hypothosis was correct. The castle and the lions are bound together by the same source. If one loses power, the other will fail as well. A simple spell to disrupt the energy flow to the castle has done the trick."

"Yes," Lotor agreed, "and with the lions out of power, they have no way to rescue their fellow pilot. I will take them one by one, if I must." What Lotor did not want to vocally acknowledge was that he secretly hoped that the down pilot was Voltron's own commander. Keith Kogane had been a thorn in Lotor's side for far too long – standing in the way of everything that Lotor truly desired. Lotor would make him suffer more than any of them. He would break the commander until he was completely undone, then he would kill him slowly.

Lotor was giddy at the thought of complete victory over his enemy. He was so close. But he would not make the same mistakes that he had made in the past. He would not declare victory until every last one of them was in his grasp, and Voltron was under his power.

While Lotor was sure that Hagar's magic did not include telepathy, sometimes it seemed as if she could read his mind. "Patience, Lotor, you will have them all to do as you wish soon enough." She left her alter and moved to another table where she stood in front of a microscope. "Come see this."

Lotor leaned over to look into the microscope. A droplet water was magnified significantly and he could see tiny organisms that resembled a common dirt worm racing around frantically under his gaze. He looked back to Hagar. "What's this?"

Hagar held up a small bottle for him to see. "They are called Sorcas. They are microscopic parasites that render their host completely suseptical to mind control. In spite of their size, they are highly efficient and very powerful magic users. Once inside the host, they attach themselves to the lower part of the brain and begin to grow. They feed off of the host's energy potential and turn it into pure magic."

She allowed Lotor to peek inside the bottle. All he saw was a green liquid. He wrinkled his nose. "They're in there?"

She nodded. "Yes, the liquid is native to the planet where I found them. It is the only way they survive if they are not implanted into a host."

"Mind control, huh?"

She nodded. "Just a small drop in the ear, nose, or eyes. The process is almost immediate."

"What happens to the host? Does it die?"

The witch shook her head. "Until now, these organisms have been isolated on a distant planet so not much is known about them. But I have been experimenting on certain animals. So far I have discovered that the worms will keep the host alive, if the host dies, so does the sorca."

Lotor's mind began to swim. Mind control! Oh, the possibilities...

* * *

><p>Deirdre powered up the engines of her ship, foregoing the usual preflight checks. They were, after all, in a hurry. She pulled the ship into the air and moved into the dense fog. She had been right. The modifications that she and Hunk had made seemed to slice right throught the fog, allowing them to see fairly far in front of them. Soon they were skimming the surface of Arus, looking for any signs of the Blue Lion.<p>

The pair fell into a silence as they focused on the task at hand. They were so engrossed in the scans from the ship that a voice over the intercom made them both jump. "Anything yet?"

"Lance, how?"

"Hunk really outdid himself this time, Keith. He used the battery packs from the flashlights to give us just enough power to keep communications on. Still no lights yet though."

"I'm working on it!" Hunk's voice came through.

"Have you seen anything?" Lance asked.

"Not yet. Wait a minute..." Keith pointed to the scanner in front of him. "That could be it."

Deirdre nodded and adjusted the flight pattern until they were almost directly over the dot on the screen. Keith's heart fell as the Blue Lion came into view. It had crashed on the flat plains that were just a few miles from the castle. But it wasn't alone. Surrounding the crash site was a half a dozen short range Doom vehicles.

"What the hell?" Keith stared at the scene, not believing his eyes.

"What is it, Keith?" Lance got his attention back.

"Blue Lion's down. Drule ships surrounding it. No sign of the Princess."

"Look," Deirdre adjusted the view screen to magnify. Three Doom slaves climbed out of Blue Lion's mouth and they were carrying a forth person.

"Allura." Keith breathed.

"What do we do?" Deirdre looked at Keith, who was frozen in place. "Keith. " Nothing. "COMMANDER!" She bellowed finally snapping him out of his trance. He blinked at her. "You can not go loony love bird on my now. What are we going to do?" The Siren rocked hard pushing them both against the console. "Guess that answers my question."

She punched the contols of the ship rocketing it forward. Keith was scanning the feed in front of him. "We've got two on our six." He said. "They're sending rockets our way." She nodded and twisted the contols hard to the right sending The Siren spiraling forward. The two rockets tried to twist with their target but ended up running into each other causing a large explosion.

Lance and Hunk sat in the dark control room helplessly listening to their friends evade the barrage of fire from the enemy. Lance kicked the console hard then stood up. "Damn it. I can't believe this is happening."

"Isn't there anything we can do for them?" Hunk slumped in his chair. "They're all alone out there."

"I know, big guy." Lance watched Hunk, his face illuminated by the one flashlight that wasn't being used to power the communications with The Siren. He didn't have the heart to tell him what he was really thinking.

Scuffling down the corridor just outside the control room caught their attention. A moment later, Pidge ran in followed by Coran and Rebecca. Each of them had a handful of flashlights.

"We got all the flashlights we could find around the castle." Pidge breathed deeply. Hunk grabbed the bundles from them and began taking the flashlights apart.

"Everyone seems to be okay and accounted for." Coran added.

"Lance," Keith voice was strained over the intercom. "We could use some ideas here."

Pidge and Coran looked at Lance who answered their silent questions. "The Siren is under attack. They're on the run."

"I have an idea!" Pidge yelled. He pushed everyone out of the way and went to Hunk. "Hunk, can we get enough juice from those battery packs to send a signal to our long range satellite?"

"Should be able to. What do you have in mind?" It took Pidge only a few seconds to fill Hunk in on his idea. Hunk whooped loudly and began digging around under the console again.

Pidge grabbed the microphone. "Keith, you there?"

"We're here, Pidge. What have you got?"

"With the scanner distortions in the atmosphere, can the Siren find the long range satellite? I'm sending the coordinates to you."

"Stand by." Those observing from the control room listened in nail biting silence. "We've got the satellite on our radar, Pidge. Shit!" There was commotion on the intercom followed with Keith's voice barking orders to his pilot.

"Keith," Pidge yelled. He knew they had very little time. "Head to the dark side of the satellite. We're going to send a signal to the satellite to create a temporary gravity field. If you let the ship get pulled into the gravity and reduce your engines to impulse, you should be able to hide behind it. The gravity field will mask their detection devices. At least long enough for us to find a long term solution."

Keith glanced at Deirdre whose knuckles were white on the controls. "Did you get all that?"

"Yeah, set the coordinates." Her teeth were clenched as she evaded another round of laser fire. "This baby's not going to hold up much longer."

"Coordinates set." Keith announced.

She yanked hard on the controls pulling them into a steep upward climb toward the outer rim of the atmosphere. The two Doom ships that were on them followed suit. "Oh no you don't." Pushing a numbered sequence into a keypad, the Siren lurched forward as the modified boosters kicked in sending them rocketing toward the satellite. The short range Doom ships were unequipted for such speed and finally fell back. As they moved skyward, Keith saw another a large command ship, flanked by two more and an army of smaller fighters, moving into the atmosphere. There was no mistaking it.

"Drules." Keith growled.

"What?"

"That's a Drule command ship, and I bet I know who's at the helm. Lotor. That must be where they're taking Allura." He banged his hands on the console. "Damn it!"

"Take it easy, Keith." Deirdre was still focused on the viewscreen in front of her. "Look, at least she's still alive. At least we still have a chance to rescue her."

Keith's voice dropped to such a low calm that it sent shivers up her spine. "She'd rather be dead than be delivered into the hands of Lotor."

* * *

><p>"What the hell is going on down here?" Lotor watched from the bridge of his ship as the two Doom fighters fell back from their pursuit of the unfamiliar ship. "Why are they pulling back?"<p>

"Sir," his pilot addressed him. "it is too fast for our ships. They are short range fighters, not equipped for such speed." His fingers flew across his console. "I can track the ship while we launch the long range vessels, Your Majesty."

Lotor templed his hands thoughtfully. "Do it. I don't want any ships leaving Arus." He was so close to victory, he could taste it. The last thing he needed was letting a ship slip through to get help. He had to contain the glee he felt when he had received word that Allura had been captured and was being transported to his ship. And the Lions were effectively out of commission. It was a good day for Doom.

As if able to read his mind, Hagar shifted uncomfortably in her seat next to him. "Don't get too cocky, Lotor. Voltron is not ours yet."

"But it will be. Hail the other ships!" He ordered.

The Drule, who Lotor recognized as Captain Ruzian, appeared on the screen in front of him. "Yes, My Lord."

"Is my fleet ready?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. Ready for your orders."

Lotor smiled. "Order them to proceed with the invasion."

Deirdre had no response to Keith's statement, but she didn't need one. "There it is." The large, moon shaped satellite came into view.

Keith pulled himself back to the matter at hand. "Pidge, we're circling the satellite. Are you ready?"

"Ready when you are, Chief."

"When I give the signal, activate the gravity field. Deirdre, you cut the engines. Everyone got that?"

Everyone answered an affirmative. Keith waited until the Siren was clear on the other side of the satellite. "NOW!" he barked.

Deirdre cut the engines, and Siren floated, suspended in space by the satellite's gravity.

* * *

><p>The pilot on The Inferno almost choked at the readings in front of him. He began to sweat with fear as he turned to Lotor. "Your Majesty, we've lost tracking on the ship."<p>

"WHAT?" Lotor bellowed nearly ready to strangle his own pilot. "Where the hell did it go?"

"I-I-don't know." His fingers punched a number of buttons. "One second it was there, another it was gone?"

"A cloaking device?" Hagar suggested.

The pilot shook his head. "My readings didn't show any cloaking technology on that ship."

Lotor was thoughtful for a moment. "What about hyperspace capabilities?"

"No evidence of hyperspace activity showed up on my scans, My Lord."

The Prince allowed himself a small smile. "Alright. Forget about it for now. Let's focus on Arus."

"Sir?" The pilot seemed concerned.

"Do you think it's wise to let them go so easily?" Hagar rustled next to him. "They might go for help."

Lotor chuckled. "With no hyperspace capabilities, it will take them a while to reach any neighboring outposts. By then, it will be too late."

* * *

><p>The cockpit of the Siren was dark save for the reserve lights that cast an eerie glow on the tense faces of Keith and Deirdre. To save energy, they had cut communications with the control center until they could formulate a plan. They appeared to be safe for the moment. But the energy being used to support the gravity field would drain quickly. They had to find another alternative.<p>

Keith had fallen into a thoughful silence. He was running various scenarios in his head. Trying to make it back to the surface was not a viable option at that moment. Neither was trying to fight for they were severly outnumbered. They could try to make it to the nearest outpost, but it would take too long. Of all the options he had come up with, they all contained one component that he could not, would not, avoid.

Deirdre, finally bored of the silence, inturrupted his thoughts. "What's the plan, Fearless Leader?" He turned to look at her, a worried expression painting his handsome features.

"I can't leave her." His voice was almost a whisper. He watched Deirdre's tense expression soften.

She nodded in understanding. "Alright, let's go get her." Before he could respond, she reached up and opened the com channel. "Lance, you there?"

"We're here."

"We've got a plan." She glanced at Keith to make sure this was really what he wanted to do. He nodded. "In few moments, we're going to leave the gravitational field and move back into the planet's atmosphere."

"They'll spot you right away." Pidge said.

"We know. We're going to surrender to Lotor."

"WHAT?" A chorus of voices echoed through the cockpit. Then Lance spoke above them all. "What the hell are you thinking?"

Deidre almost smiled at his concern. "I'm thinking, Lance, that you better come up with a plan to rescue us. Because if Lotor turns me into a robeast," then she did allow herself the smallest smile, "you're the first one I'm coming after."

"Keith, stop this. DEIRDRE!"

She pushed a button and Lance's voice was cut off bringing them back to silence in the cockpit. She began the sequence to power up the engines and the entire console lit up. "Engines on online. We're pulling out of the gravitaional pull."

The Siren moved away from the satellite and began it's revolution to the other side. Keith watched Deirdre as she moved them into position that would most likely lead them to their certain doom. All the years he had known her, Deirdre had always been a fiercely loyal friend, and now was no exception. She was putting her life on the line for someone that she barely knew, just because he asked her to. He was overwhelmed by emotion for his friend. Having no other words to express his feelings, "Thank you." was all he could say.

She glanced away from the console just long enough to give him her best comforting smile. "You owe me big time for this one, Keith." She was thoughtful for a moment before she spoke again.

As the Inferno came into view, they both took an unconscious breath. Keith gripped the armrests of his chair as Lotor's ship loomed before them. "Hail them."

* * *

><p>Excitement buzzed on the Inferno as Cossak led the Doom fleet out of deep space into Arus's atmosphere. Everything was in place to invade the now defenseless planet. And Lotor had just recieved word that Allura had been delivered safely aboard. He practically jumped out of his command chair and moved toward the door.<p>

"Where are you going?" Hagar asked, already knowing the answer.

He only smiled wickedly at her. "I'm going to welcome our new guest."

"Prince Lotor," The Inferno's pilot said excitedly. Lotor gave an irritated growl and turned to him. "we've got the ship back on our radars. It appears to be moving toward us."

"Really." Lotor was intriqued now.

"It's weapon systems are offline. They are making no move to attack." He watched to screen intently, expecting some sort of trick. Then the console let out of loud beep. "They are opening a communication channel, Your Majesty."

Lotor frowned. He really just wanted to blow the small ship apart and be done with it. He was on his way to greet the object of his obsession. Now was not the time to deal with meanial things. "Well, by all means."

"Lotor,"

The Prince's pointed ears perked up at the familiar voice.

"This is Commander Kogan."

"Commander Kogane," The name dripped with contempt as it left Lotor's lips. "what can I do for you before I blow you out of the sky?"

"I want to surrender. Our weapons are powered down and we have no intention of resisting."

This statement left Lotor dumbstruck. Could he have heard right? The Commander of the Voltron Force was surrendering to him? Why now?

"He's come for the Princess." Hagar stated matter of factly, as if reading his mind. He hated when she did that. But her deduction rang true.

Allura. Yes, that was it. Keith must know by now that he had Allura. Lotor had always suspected that the Commander had a thing for her. The great commander thought that he would be able to save his precious princess. It was laughable. His instinct was to order his men to fire. On the other hand, finally having Keith, the bane of his existence and the one thing that had always stood between Lotor and victory, in his hands made his mouth water with bloodlust. He would break the Commander and crush him like the insignificant human that he was.

"Very well," Lotor finally said. "I accept your surrender. Prepare to be brought on board."

* * *

><p>Keith and Deirdre had little to say to each other as they prepared for what was coming next. They sat in silence even as they the jolt of a tractor beam rocked the ship. Deirdre cut the engines and sat back as her ship was gently pulled toward the Drule vessel.<p>

"Keith?" Her voice was soft. "With all the bad blood between you and this Lotor guy, aren't you afraid he's going to just kill you?"

He continued to stare out into space with a solemn expression. "Lotor and I have been playing this chess match for four years. We've learned a little about each other in that time. Each other's stregnths. And weaknesses."

"Allura."

He glanced at her suddenly, and she was surprised when he nodded. "Yeah." His admission was so soft that if she hadn't been sitting right next to him, she wouldn't have heard him. He cleared is throat as if cominng out of some distant memory. "Lotor's also got a large ego. He won't want to kill me right away. He'll want to gloat. To break his enemy before he kills me. I know that Lance will figure out a way to get us out. But we need to be on that ship when that happens."

As they neared Lotor's ship, Keith felt his heart pounding in his ears. He had no idea how they were going to find Allura or how they were going to rescue her. But he knew one thing. He was not leaving that ship without her. The Inferno's docking bay yawned opened and became an ominus reminder of what was to come.

* * *

><p>"I can't believe this!" Lance bellowed. "How could they do this?"<p>

Coran, who was trying to remain calm and rational, though it was difficult with Lance steadily losing his composure, was still shocked by the whole ordeal. He found it difficult to believe that the Commander would do something so irratic and irresponsible. "Yes, I would expect this kind of reckless behavior from you. But Keith? What's his motivation? How does he think he's going to help Allura from a cell?"

The royal advisors observations stopped Lance's tirade. Coran was right, of course. Lance would do something that incredibly stupid in the heat of the moment. Not Keith. Keith was the sensible, rational one. That's why he was in charge, and Lance wasn't. But, in the end, Lance knew exactly what Keith's motivation was. "I guess people do a lot of out of character things when they're in love."

It was the sound of Hunk dropping a wrench to the floor with a loud clang that made Lance realize that he had spoken out loud. He clamped his mouth shut and looked over at Coran to see if maybe by some chance that he'd not heard. He knew it was a futile hope as the advisor stared at him in surprise.

"In love?" Coran raised an eyebrow.

Lance's brain began working in overdrive as he tried to figure out some damage control after his admission. What had been obvious to him all this time, had apparently not been so to others. In his opinion, one would have to be blind not to see the growing attraction between Keith and Allura. Or be blissfully ignorant. He decided that Coran had opted for the latter. Either way, Keith and Allura had yet to make their feelings public (including to each other), and Lance had no intention of being the one to out them.

The excuse he had formulated for Coran was a moot point as the lights suddenly blinked to life, blinding the unsuspecting group.

"HA!" cried Hunk proudly. "We've got power."

"Thank the Maker." Coran said. "What systems can we get online?"

Pidge sat at the console, his fingers already flying over the keys. "Looks like we only have power to the control room. The rest of the castle is still blacked out. With what limited power we do have, I can get short range scanners, and the security system up and running. At least we'll know if someone tries to get into the castle."

"Can we get the Lions up?" Lance was anxious to wreak some havoc on Lotor's ship.

"That's a negative." said Hunk.

"Got it!" Pidge yelled suddenly. The viewscreen began to flicker and came to life. They stared unbelieving at the scene that was unfolding in front of them. Dozens of Drule ships had entered the atmosphere and were landing on Arus.

"It's begun." Coran said hoarsly. "I can't believe it. The invasion has begun."

**Thanks for reading. Please review (remember, it makes me a better writer). Until next time...**


	15. Chapter 15

**This was a very difficult chapter for me to write not just because of the subject matter, but also because my external hard drive crapped out on me and ate the entire chapter :( So I had to rewrite it from scratch (Boo!) I really tried to keep this T (a very heavy editing process was involved), but some of it's kinda rough just the same. Anyway, please let me know what you thought.**

"Lotor!"

Lotor tried in vain to hide his scowl as Emperor Zeppo addressed him through the comm screen on the bridge of the Inferno. The Drule Emperor was insufferable, and Lotor resented being scrutinized. "Yes, Emperor."

"What is your status?"

"Do you have such little faith in me that you would inquire?" The words were out before Lotor had realized he had said them.

Zeppo frowned. "I gave you a small fleet of my ships to take Arus. I think I am entitled to see what my investment has gotten me."

Lotor's face twisted into a smug grin. "I have the Captain of the Voltron Force and Princess Allura in my custody. The lions are inoperable and the castle is without power. My...your ships have already landed on the surface. It is only a matter of time before the Castle of Lions and Voltron will be ours."

For the first time that he could remember, Zeppo did not look on him with complete digust. In fact, the elder Drule almost smiled. Almost. "I am both suprised and impressed Lotor. I will be bringing my own fleet to join you in three days. I trust by then you will have complete control of Arus?"

Lotor's face fell slightly. "Of course, Emperor, I will be looking forward to your arrival."

"Good," was all Zeppo offered before signaling to one of his men. Without any warning, his image disappeared from the viewscreen.

Lotor growled loudly as he stomped off of the bridge. His rage consumed him as he stormed through the corridor. Anyone that he happened upon trembled as his passed. Did Zeppo really think that he would be able to come in and take over after Lotor had done all of the work? Absolutely not. By the time his fleet arrived, Lotor would have control of Voltron. Then he would crush Zeppo and rule as not only the king of Arus, but also the Supreme Ruler of the Drule Empire.

Still reeling with anger, Lotor marched up to a guard standing in front of his destination. "Open it!" he commanded.

Without hesitiation, the guard pushed a sequence of buttons allowing Lotor entrance to the room he was guarding. The room was pitch black and the sweltering temperature pushed back at him like a wall. Using his hands to feel against the wall, he flipped the switch, casting light throughout the bare room.

At the far end of the room, Keith's head shot up from where he dangled by his wrists – his boots barely touching the floor. From where Lotor stood by the door, the commander looked unharmed, but the oppressive heat and humity of the room had his hair plastered to his face and his skin flushed, dripping with sweat.

Keith squinted at the new light in the room. Lotor almost laughed out loud as his approached. "Hello, Commander," he drawled, "I trust your accomadations are to your liking?" The only response was a stone cold glare. "It's interesting how things have worked out isn't it, Keith. Once I was your prisoner. And now you are mine." No response. Lotor expected nothing less from the ever stoic leader of the Voltron Force.

"You know, Keith, you really did make a poor showing by surrendering yourself to me. What will the rest of your team think about you giving up so easily? I always knew you were weak. What did you think would happen? Some grand rescue of your precious princess?" Lotor lowered his voice, but leaned in so that Keith was sure to hear him. "My princess."

The Commander barely flinched, but it was enough for Lotor to notice. "She will never be yours," he finally responded in a low growl.

Then a thought struck Lotor. He had been wrong about Keith. "I see now, you weren't planning on rescuing her. You just wanted to be close to her. You think that with you in such a close proximity, she will be able to resist me."

Suddenly Lotor produced a large blade and without ceremony plunged it into Keith's shoulder. A satisfying scream echoed through the room, prompting Lotor to push it deeper. Lotor let out a satisfying sigh. "I have been waiting a long time to do that," he whispered.

Slowly, he withdrew the blade, relishing every grunt that Keith made through gritted teeth. He gazed with utter pleasure at the stream of blood flowing over Keith's sleeve, smearing over the black lion insignia on his uniform. Reaching up, he ripped the patch from his arm. "You really don't know much about women, do you. What do you think Allura will do when she learns that I have you as my prisoner?" He laughed loudly. "She will give me anything that I want." The smile disappeared and his voice lowered. "And I intend to take all that she has to offer." Turning on his heel, Lotor started back towards the door.

His open wound forgotten, Keith lunged forward only to be yanked back by his restraints. "Lotor! You will die by my hand!"

Lotor glanced back as he reached the door, making sure to turn off the light sending the room into complete darkness. Smiling sadistically, he shook his head. "Not today, my dear Commander. Not today."

As the door closed behind him, Lotor turned to the posted guard. "Wait a while, then have someone tend to his wounds. I don't want him to bleed out before I have a chance to kill him."

* * *

><p>"What are we going to do, Lance?" For the first time in a long time, Pidge was scared. It was easy for them to be brave when they had Voltron to fight the bad guys. But they didn't have Voltron, and now they were sitting ducks.<p>

Lance frowned in frustration as he watched the Drule ships landing on Arus, meticulously taking the villagers hostage. They were coming in droves now. With Voltron no longer an effective threat, the Drules had no fear of coming out in the open and taking over the planet. They could send the Arusian army out, but their numbers were limited and the Drules would keep coming until there was no more resistance. There was no way that they could take on Lotor's army alone. He felt helpless.

Standing next to him, Hunk banged his fist on the console. "What are they waiting for? Why not just attack the castle?"

"They want to keep the castle in tact." Coran said thoughtfully. "Lotor knows that if they have the people under their control that we will have no choice but to surrender without a fight. He would not want to risk damaging Voltron."

"You're right, Coran." Lance agreed.

"With the Princess being held by Lotor, and Voltron out of commission, the people have lost the will to fight anymore." Coran said sadly.

Lance squared his shoulders. He knew what they had to do. "Looks like we'll have to change that, then. Coran, I want you to evacuate the anyone left in the castle to the underground bunker."

"What?" Hunk growled, "we're just going to give them the castle? Not even fight for it?" The big man crossed his arms and raised a skeptical eyebrow at his commander. "That doesn't sound like you, Lance. You're usually the first one to want to kick some butt. The odds never mattered before."

Lance put a hand on the larger man's shoulder to calm him. "We have to keep these people safe, Hunk. Staying here just waiting for Lotor's troops to come in will not do anyone any favors. He will either turn them into slaves or kill them. Is that what you want for Rebecca?"

Hunk glanced behind him where Rebecca was sitting with a bawling Nanny, trying to comfort her. Their eyes met, and Hunk knew he had no other choice. He nodded then regarded Lance again. "Since when have you been the level headed one? That's usually Keith's job."

"Yeah, well, Keith's not here. And I'm in charge." Lance seemed almost unsure even as he made the statement. What he didn't want to tell everyone was that he was terrified to be in charge. While Keith was the Commander, he and Lance had always been an formidable pair, especially in combat. Their very differnt styles, while bringing about a certain amount of conflict, complemented each other. And while Keith always had the final say, he never discounted Lance's opinions, even when he disagreed. Now, everyone's fate rested on his decisions alone, and that scared the piss out of him. But he couldn't afford to let them think that he was questioning his own ability. Instead he returned his attention to Coran who was looking at him strangely. "The bunkers were uncompromised during the first invasion, right? That's how you were able to keep Allura safe for all that time."

Coran nodded. "Yes, there are enough supplies, plus a complete med lab to keep us all hidden for several weeks."

"Good, get everyone down there and seal it off. Nanny..."

He turned to Nanny who was still bawling in the corner. He walked quickly to her and knelt beside her. He felt sorry for the poor woman who was mourning more for the loss of her princess more than for the planet itself. Allura was Nanny's life, and Lance knew that Nanny felt just as helpless as he did at the moment. Still, this was no time for them all to fall apart. He grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her roughly. "Nanny," her response was more sobs. "NANNY!" he finally yelled at her, getting her attention. "You want to help Allura, right? You want to help us get her back?"

The woman nodded. Her eyes were red and swollen. "I will give my life to make sure the Princess is safe."

Lance smiled sympathetically. "Hopefully it won't come to that, but there is something that I need you to do for me..."

* * *

><p>Allura groaned as the throbbing in her head continued to keep her in her prone position. She felt as if even opening her eyes would cause her brain to explode. She lay still for a moment, trying to remember what had happened. She had been in Blue on patrol. Something had gone wrong. The lion had just suddenly lost power. She was falling. Her heart stopping screams...Keith calling her name...Then everything went dark. Had she crashed? Where was she now? Had she been taken prisoner? If so, by who? She had to find answers. Very gently and only as fast as her pounding head would allow, she opened her eyes and sat up.<p>

Glancing around, she quickly realized that she was in some sort of bed chamber. It was sparse and undecorated, but definitely meant to be sleeping quarters for someone. She was sitting on a most uncomfortable cot that had only starched white sheets and a single pillow. Across the room, next to the door that she assumed led outside, was a small dresser. On the other side of the exit was another door. A mirrored closet door was left half open. From where she sat she could see that it was empty. She pushed herself to standing only to grab the wall to keep from falling, and gingerly made her way to the outside door. It was locked. Her heart sank. She was a prisoner. Turning slightly, she caught sight of herself in the mirror.

Her uniform had been removed, and she was now clad in a white tank top and a pair of white, drawstring pants. She was barefoot. Someone had bandaged an injury over her right eye and taken the time to remove her hairpins and brush out her hair so that it now hung down her back. She reached up to carefully touch the bandage on her temple.

"Admiring my med staff's handy work?"

The familiar voice made her jump, threatening to send her head into another spin. She turned and made her way back to the bed just as her legs buckled.

Lotor rushed to her side to help her sit, holding her arm as he joined her on the mattress. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

She yanked her arm from his grasp. "Don't touch me!"

He took the hint and scooted back on the cot to give her space. "I am sorry that I had nothing else for you to wear, but I really wasn't expecting you to be my guest this soon."

Allura lifted her chin. "Okay, so you have me. What do you want from me?"

He narrowed his eyes but smiled. The no-nonsense Princess, forever putting on airs of invinciblilty. "What I've always wanted, my dear. You." Allura shuttered. "Come now, Allura, even you must realize that a union between our planets would do nothing but bring peace and prosperity to Arus."

She snorted. "_Your _brand of peace and prosperity is making my people slaves under your rule. I will never be yours as long as the Voltron Force lives, and neither will Arus."

A strange expression fell across Lotor's face as he stood. If she didn't know any better, Allura would almost mistake it for...hurt. It passed quickly, however, and his arrogant smile returned. "You know, Allura, I was really hoping that it wouldn't come to this."

He reached out and dropped something on the bed next to her. She looked at the lion's head staring back at her. It was the insignia for the black lion. Reserved for only the Captain of the Voltron Force. Then she noticed the blood stain across the patch. Allura's breath hitched. _Keith...oh god no..._

Lotor watched and waited for recognition and understanding to reach her. When she looked up at him with pools forming in her big, blue eyes, he knew he had her. "Yes, Allura, I have your precious Commander in chains below. You will be happy to know that he is alive, if not bleeding just a bit." He watched as relief washed over her. He wanted to smack her for it. "But," he said cheerfully, "I also have another suprise for you." He almost skipped to the door and opened it. "Bring her."

Allura watched in horror as Deirdre was pushed roughly through the door. Her hands were chained in front of her, but she looked no worse for wear. She held her head up defiantly and to Allura, she looked rather pissed off. "Deirdre...how?"

"It's kind of a long story," Deirdre stated, glaring at Lotor.

He only chuckled. "You see, Allura? Your friends are unharmed. How long they stay that way is up to you, my dear."

He didn't have to elaborate for Allura to get his meaning. Her face fell as her shoulders sagged. She had no choice. He had won. "Alright, Lotor," she said, her voice barely a whisper, "I'll give you what you want."

"Yes," he purred, "that's a good and loyal friend." Lotor had to physically stop himself from dancing about the room. "By tonight, I will have Arus," he moved to Allura, sliding an arm around her waste, "and you and I will be what we were always meant to be."

"No, wedding, Lotor?"

His reverie was cut short as he cocked his head at Deirdre. "Of course there will be a wedding. Once I have conquered Arus, all of its people will witness the union of their beloved princess and the King of Doom!"

"So, you're going to wait for your wedding night," Deirdre pressed.

Now Lotor was confused. "What?"

"Think about it, Lotor. Allura's been saving herself her whole life for her wedding night." She glanced at Allura who nodded slowly. "You wouldn't ruin all of that just so that you can get your rocks off, right? I mean, you wouldn't if you truely loved her."

The words penetrated Lotor's thoughts as he watched the two women. Then his gaze focused on the Princess and his expression softened. "I am not a complete monster, Allura." Then to her suprise he took her hand in his own, and kissed the back of it. "We will wait until we are husband and wife." His pointed smile sent a shiver up her spine, but she felt a shred of relief that she would not have to share a bed with him that night.

"But,"

Her reprive was short lived as Lotor continued.

"I do require some sort of celebration of my conquest." He looked between the two women, his gaze settling on Deirdre. She seemed to know what he was implying and nodded slowly.

Allura was horrified. "No! You can't..."

She was cut short when Deirdre went to her, blocking her from Lotor's view. "It's alright, Allura," she soothed, "I know what I'm doing."

Realization struck Allura as she gazed into Deirdre's determined stare. That had been her plan all along. Deirdre knew that Lotor would take her instead. The Princess shook her head. She would not let Deirdre suffer in her place. "Don't do this," she pleaded.

But in the end, Deirdre only gave her the most confident smile she could muster. "Trust me, it's better this way. I only ask one thing in return."

"Anything!"

Deirdre smiled sadly. "If anything happens to me...take care of the boys. They really need a woman like you to set them straight every now and again."

Allura wanted to smile; to laugh at the insinuation. But she couldn't. She couldn't stop the tears that she had tried so hard to hold back.

"Don't worry about me. I can handle this."

Lotor snorted from where he had been observing by the door. "I doubt that very much. Guards!" Two men entered the room in haste. "Take her to my chambers. And send for Hagar."

The men nodded, grabbed Deirdre roughly and escorted her back into the corridor. Lotor stood and watched Allura for a moment, only then noticing her tears. In a moment of weakness, he crossed the room to her, taking her face with a suprisingly gentle touch. He wiped her cheeks with the pads of his thumbs. "Don't cry, my love. You will see that, in the end, it's for the best."

She could only stare at him in disbelief as he turned from her, strided across the room, and left her alone again. She stood, unable to move for what seemed like an eternity, before finally collapsing on the bed, consumed by her own grief.

* * *

><p>Romelle sat straight up in bed when the first sound of her communicator filtered through her drowsy consciousness. She hoped that it had not disturbed Sven who had finally begun resting peacefully since their return to Pollux. His leg had required several surgeries to repair the injury and kept him in a constant state of pain. As she turned on the lamp beside her bed, she felt him stir next to her. Shrugging into her robe, she padded to her desk, sat down, and flipped the communication unit on.<p>

"Your Majesty," the familiar voice of her royal adviser, Jace, "I am sorry to wake you, but Commander Holgersson has an urgent message coming in. The origins are from Earth."

"Put it through," Sven said as he moved to stand behind Romelle, tying the draw strings on his pants. Romelle frowned and moved to let him sit in her chair.

"Sven," a voice crackled through the bedchamber. The sound quality was terrible but Sven could still recognize it.

Sven cocked his head. "Jeff? The reception is awful."

"I know, I'm on a very unofficial line, so there's no guarantee how long the connection will last, but something has happened that I thought you and Romelle ought to know about."

Romelle leaned forward on the desk. "Sounds serious."

"Lotor has escaped from custody. And I've gotten some intel from an inside source that he has moved to invade Arus. I can't establish a comm connection with them either."

Sven breathed sucked in a breath. "Son of a bitch. What is Garrison doing about this?"

"Nothing yet. There's whispers that Vehicle Voltron might be deployed to help, but no official orders have been given yet. Wade pushed through an emergency vote of the security counsel officially promoting him to Sky Marshal. He's got complete impunity now."

Romelle and Sven locked gazes, each mirroring the same concerned expression. Before they could voice them, Jeff's voice crackled again...

"Listen, I know that Wade is up to no good. Tell Keith that that I've got Chip working covertly to hack Wade's files. Hopefully we can find out what the hell he really wants."

"Alright," Sven nodded, "thanks for the heads up, Jeff. You better get off before someone catches on to you."

"You're right. I probably won't be able to contact you again, but let everyone know that we're doing what we can on this end."

"Will do, Jeff. Thank you." Sven reached out and cut the comm link. He glanced up at Romelle to find her already stripping off her nightgown and pulling her hair back into a pony tail.

He stood to go to her. "What are you doing?"

"We have to move quickly, if there's no communication with Arus, it's a good bet that Lotor has already begun the attack."

On her tiptoes, she reached to the top of her closet and pulled down a holster and rifle.

"Our ships are no match for a Drule fleet, Romelle."

"I know that, but there are very few soldiers in the galaxy that can match the Pollux army on the ground. We'll land on the surface and take out the ground troops. At the very least, we can keep the innocent people safe."

Sven smiled at her tenacity as he took her face in her hands. He bent to plant a soft kiss on her lips. "You remind me every day why I love you."

Romelle blushed and smiled back at him, her eyes shining with adoration.

"We should start getting the troops and transports together, then," he said as he started peeling off his pajama pants.

This time Romelle's expression faltered when she saw the long scar trailing down his leg. "Are you sure you're ready to do this? You've only been back on that leg for a couple of days."

He smirked back at her as he slid a t-shirt over his head. "I'll be fine, love. My friends are in trouble. I owe them. Besides," he kissed her on the forehead, "staying here while the love of my life goes into battle to save the day is not an option."

* * *

><p>When Lotor arrived at his bedchamber doors, Hagar was just leaving. She floated to to him, regarding him with her glowing red eyes. "Everything is prepared, Your Highness. I suspect that you will have a most fulfilling evening," she said dispassionately. Being far less humanoid than either the Earthings or the Drules, she had no understanding of the carnal needs of them. She found it to be a ridiculous distraction. But for the sake of avoiding any more complications due to Lotor's overeager libido, and while it was far beneath her mystical skills, she was willing to allow him this small favor.<p>

He scowled. The old bag had no idea what would quench his needs. Only when he finally had Allura in his bed begging and pleading for more would he truely be satisfied.

"Your Majesty," Hagar decided to change the subject, "I was thinking, what if I made the Princess completely compliant to you? Put her on your side, if you will."

Lotor understood. "With the Sorcas?" He shook his head. "You have not infected a human with those creepy things yet. You don't know how a human will react. Absolutely not. I will not let you use my future bride as a test subject."

"What about the Commander? He would be a strong ally under your control."

Lotor rubbed his chin. Having Keith under his influence would be quite ironic. Then again, if he were to die due to complications from the unknown parasites, Lotor would be robbed of his true victory of killing him.

The witch could see the conflict in Lotor's expression. "Do not be so weak, Lotor. Do not let your feelings for the princess or your unwavering hatred for the commander, blur your judgement."

The new King of Doom was thoughtful for another moment. Perhaps Hagar was right. Perhaps all these years his lust and hatred has been serving as the catalyst for his defeats. Maybe he would have to take a step back and rethink his tactics. But for now...

"I will think on it, Hagar, and I will give you my decision. Now, leave me before your presence ruins my mood." Hagar scoffed at him but showed no signs of actually being offended. "Yes, your Majesty." The witch bowed slightly and turned to leave.

The lights in his bedchamber were turned low so that he had to squint when he first entered. He looked around the room and as his eyes had adjusted to the low light he could now see his prey standing in the corner shadows. "Come here." He said quietly.

As she moved from her spot and into the dim light. Lotor smiled at Hagar's creation. The woman stood in front of him in a pale pink nightgown that clinged to her curvy figure. Long golden hair spilled over her shoulders barely conceling her breasts underneath. Hagar had worked her magic well. Although the woman's face and quite frankly her body was nothing compared to the real Allura, it would be a nice distraction for the evening. She lifted her chin, clearly unafraid and unintimidated by him. She had some fire in her. He smiled. That could prove to be most entertaining.

Deirdre glanced down at her new blond hair and fingered the curly tresses lightly. "Blond? Really? What's the matter Lotor? Have you become so sick and twisted in your obsession with Allura that other women can't even turn you on anymore?"

Lotor blanched at her words. More because they were true than anything else. There had been a time when he could take the slave women one after another no matter what they looked like. And he had indulged in each and every one. Now, it seemed that very few were able to get him to the point where he could perform. Even now as he stared at her new blue eyes, he felt nothing. It wasn't Allura. Fortunately, he had a good imagination.

He walked to her and ran a finger down her cheek. Still she stood strong, never breaking eye contact. "Not to worry, my dear. I won't be able to tell the difference from behind."

Without warning, he grabbed her and turned her around harshly. Pulling the blond hair away from her neck, he leaned in and breathed heavy on her. He began to rub his pelvis against her bottom and was joyful when he received his desired reaction. He ground harder against her just to make sure she could feel it. He breathed in her ear. "There, you see? We can make this work. Allura."

* * *

><p>The Castle of Lions erupted into chaos when Coran had made the announcement for everyone to evacuate to the safety of the underground bunkers. No doubt, many had had flashbacks of the first time that they had been forced from their home and into hiding. The castle had been caught off guard then. This time, they had an evacuation plan in place. But that didn't mean that they weren't scared. Just as they had a little over half of the castle underground, the intruder alarm sounded. The Drules had breached the castle defenses. They were now in the castle.<p>

Lance, Hunk with Rebecca at his side, Pidge, and Coran stood at the entrance of the tunnel that resided behind King Alfor's crypt deep in the belly of the castle. They watched and consoled as the entire castle staff filed passed them and disappeared into the tunnel.

Hunk leaned close to Lance. "You think Nanny could have picked something a little less scratchy?"

"You're lucky we could find anything to fit you at all, big guy," Lance hissed.

Nanny had managed to scrape together an outfit for both of them, effectively disguising them as common villagers. Lance had been an easy fit, but Nanny had to piece together two different outfits to fit Hunk.

As the last of the staff filtered through, Lance turned to Coran. "I think that's the last of them. You and Pidge go on ahead. Hunk and I will make sure the entrance is secure and hidden. Then we'll go out the back side of the castle."

"How will you get out without being seen?" Pidge asked.

Hunk grinned at him. "You're not the only one who's spent too much time with those space mice, Pidge. They've shown me a castle secret or two. We'll be okay." He turned to Rebecca, pulling her into a passionate embrace before crushing his lips to her. When they parted, he noted the tears in her eyes. He gently wiped them away. "You have to go with Coran and Pidge, darling."

She buried her face into his chest. "What if something happens to you?"

His chest swelling, Hunk raised her head to look at him. "This is what I was trained for, Rebecca. This is what I do."

She sniffed and wiped eyes before nodding. "I know. And I love you for it." She smiled at him. "Just make sure you come back to me in one piece."

"That, my darling, is a promise." He stepped back and gave her a grand salute.

Nodding bravely, she turned and allowed Pidge to lead her into the darkness.

Coran took a step toward the tunnel and then turned back. "You are sure this is how you want to do this?"

Lance nodded. "This is the only way. Once you're in, we'll seal off the entrance. You will be safe."

The older man suprised Lance when he approached him and put a hand on his shoulder. "You have shown great leadership today, Lance. You have grown so much since that first day I saw you in our crumbling castle. You were a hotheaded kid who couldn't be trusted to stay out of trouble. Now you stand before me as a man, and leader that does your own commander proud and earned your men's respect. And mine."

Lance was dumbstruck at the older man's admission. It was no secret that Coran and Nanny had found them less than desirable candidates to be pilots of the sacred Voltron Lions. Lance couldn't really blame them for that. But over the years they had more than proven themselves to Allura's keepers. They had gained a great deal of respect for Keith and his leadership capabilities, Lance knew, but up until that moment, he never thought that he had earned that right. "Thank you, Coran. You know that I will do everything that I can to get them back."

Coran nodded. Then, turning on his heel he disappeared into the tunnel.

* * *

><p>In the darkness, Keith felt his body beginning to give up on him. Dehydration coupled with the blood loss from Lotor's infliction had his mind turning in on itself. Sweat dripped from his forehead, stinging his eyes. He was unsure how much longer he could hold out. <em>I just have to hang on, <em>he told himself, _Lance will come through. I have to trust in that. _

The door opened, shedding light into the room. As his pupils dialated painfully, he squinted to see. In the doorway with the corridor lights in the background, he could see no more than a shadow of a siloette. But he knew who is visitor was.

Hagar floated into the room and closed the door behind her once again giving in to the darkness. She cackled as she lifted her staff, a green light emanating from the orb afixed to the top of if. "Is that better, Commander?" she asked as she moved to him. He said nothing. "Aren't you wondering why you are still alive?"

"The thought had crossed my mind."

Standing just in front of him, she narrowed her red eyes at him. "Lotor wants to make sure that you are completely broken before he kills you."

Keith made his best attempt to laugh. "You know that will never happen, Hagar. What do you want?"

"I have been tasked with making sure that there is nothing left of you but the shell of your formal self." She snickered. "I want to show you something." Lifting her staff slightly, she held the green orb just in front of Keith's face. As he gazed into it, it clouded over and a began to move until it formed picture in front of him. Two figures appeared, their backs to him. In his foggy mind, Keith struggled to understand what his eyes were seeing. Lotor stood in front of a woman with long, blong hair. He ripped at her clothes, groping her, and rubbing himself against her. Then he spoke. "You see, we can make this work, Allura," he growled before forcing her to the bed.

Keith felt his empty stomach turn. He looked away, squeezing his eyes shut, willing the images out of his mind. But they were seared into his memory. And he wept. He had failed. Failed to protect his team, to protect Arus, and failed to protect her. He had knelt before her and sworn to protect her and her planet. He had failed.

Hagar watched with pleasure as the Commander began to unravel in front of her. Finally lowering her staff, she turned and moved away from him as he sobbed softly. She smiled. The great leader of the Voltron Force was vulnerable after all. She moved into the corridor and closed the door just as the earth shattering wail erupted from within chilling even her cold blooded body to its very core.


	16. Chapter 16

**Yes, I am back and so is my story. I realize that it's been awhile, but to prove to you that I am dedicated to finishing this story, I have posted three new chapters this time. YAY ME! **

**Thanks for reading and thanks for the continued support. ENJOY!**

Anyone who knew the history of Altea, also knew that it used to be a land of great prosperity. Large cities populated the land, keeping a balanced economy that would make most realms envious. When the first invasion happened, things changed. Arus had been blessed with peace for such a long time, that the people who lived there were unprepared for the ruthless nature of the Drules.

Most of the cities had been leveled, the people either killed or made into slaves. When the Voltron Force arrived and took charge of the last defense that Arus had, things had changed again. Although the Drules had been forcibly removed from the planet, rebuilding the world to its former glory had been nearly impossible. When Doom set it's sights on Arus, it became a constant battleground of bloodshed and destruction. The result was that cities were no longer built. The people of Altea had resigned themselves to building only what they truly needed to survive. Small villages and encampments popped up throughout the land, but nothing more, relying on their young ruler and her band of soldiers to keep them safe.

As the Drules began to land on Arus once again, they wasted no time in rounding up the villagers. Being the closest village to the Castle of Lions, Creegan was also the most populated village in the area. Now, most of the villagers had fled. The ones that remained were being herded like cattle into the main square of the outpost.

From behind a small makeshift temple of worship near the town square, Lance and Hunk watched as the people were pushed and shoved around like rag dolls. Lance noted that most of the captured were men. He let out bittersweet sigh. Most of the women and children had been evacuated when the castle alarms had warned them of impending danger. Most likely, as was the case during the first invasion, they had gone to the underground caverns. This would hopefully make his plan run a little smoother.

"Hey!"

They both turned to find themselves staring down the barrel of a laser rifle held by a very mean looking Drule soldier. He regarded them for a moment, and Lance prayed silently that he would not recognize them in their disguises.

"What are the two of you doing here? You should be with the rest of the trash." The soldier spoke in a deep, threatening voice that would certainly be intimidating to most people.

Lance felt Hunk stiffen next to him. He knew the big man had a very soft heart when it came to the people of Arus. After all, most of them regarded the Voltron Force as some sort of god-like figures. Lance only hoped that Hunk could keep his temper in check. Any actions out of the ordinary at that point would blow their cover for sure. He raised his hands and nodded for Hunk to do the same. Thankfully, he complied.

* * *

><p>While it had been some time since Lotor had actually been with a woman, and the result had sated him for a few moments, as the euphoria faded, he felt just as empty if not more so than before. A shower had helped clean him physically, but nothing could cleanse the blackness within him. He growled loudly as he stared at himself in the mirror in his chamber washroom. Hagar's words echoed in his head. Had he really become so pathetic? Had his obsession with Allura truly made him weak? He shook his head. It mattered very little anymore. He had Allura. He had Keith. And soon he would have Voltron. Pushing himself from the sink, he reached for the towel hanging over the shower curtain rod and ran it over his wet hair.<p>

He moved back into his now empty bedchamber. Of course, he had sent the Allura impostor away as soon as he was done with her. The bed cover was still messed, but since they hadn't actually used the bed, it was mostly still put together. As he pulled clean clothes out of the closet, the comm unit beeped. He was relieved for the most welcome distraction. "Yes."

"Your Majesty," his first officer's voice echoed through the room, "I wish to inform you that our troops have taken the Castle of Lions."

A sudden rush of adrenaline pumped through Lotor's veins, pulling him out of his self-loathing. "Excellent. Prepare the ship to land on the surface."

"Yes, Sir."

Lotor cut the link and dressed quickly.

* * *

><p>The crowd in the town square began to grow restless as the Drule soldiers began rounding the villagers up into a singular cluster of bodies. It reminded Lance of the old Earth westerns when the cowboys would circle the cattle on their horses until they were in a tight formation, barely able to move. He watched as the soldiers bottle necked the people into a single file line up a ramp that led to the belly of the nearby Drule transport cruiser.<p>

Where were the Drules taking the people? Surely not back to Doom. Voltron had been responsible for the destruction of most of the planet. The team had watched as Zarkon's castle crumbled. Certainly Lotor was not taking these people back to a planet in ruin.

"Hurry up!" one of the soldiers yelled, pushing people roughly through the wide hanger doors.

Somewhere behind him, Lance heard a voice. "Where are you taking us?" asked the faceless man.

"Don't worry, you'll be returned to your homes soon enough," the soldier said, "for now you will be going to the castle. Soon Lotor, the new King of Arus, will be arriving. You will bow to him and pledge fealty to him."

Lance and Hunk shared a concerned look. _Shit, _Lance thought, _Lotor in the Castle of Lions. Over my dead body. _He nodded, and Hunk let him know that he understood. They were going to have to step it up. As they moved along with the wave of people toward the ship, Lance reached up under his tunic for his blaster.

"Hey,"

Lance whirled around to find himself face to face with a young man who could not have been older than seventeen.

"I know you," the boy whispered, "your Lance. Pilot of Red Lion."

"Shh..." Lance hissed as he continued walking.

The boy stayed at his side, unfazed by Lance's rough demeanor. "What are you planning? We want to help."

Looking behind the boy, Lance saw a sea of young faces nodding and murmuring in agreement. He glanced at Hunk who only shrugged. "We could use some back up, Lance."

Running the different scenarios in his head, Lance suddenly wished that Keith was with them. He was the strategic genius. Lance was more prone to run in guns blazing which was not very practical at the moment. As he gazed at the determined faces of the young men behind him, a thought suddenly occurred to him. Maybe irrational was what they needed. It would be the last thing that the Drule soldiers would be expecting. Letting out a long breath, and knowing that what he was about to do would send Keith into a complete tailspin and Allura into a conniption of some sort, he made a decision. He unholstered the blaster at his hip, then bent down to retrieve his spare under his pant leg. Standing as close to the young man as possible, he passed the blasters and then nodded for Hunk to do the same.

"Pass these out among you. Get to the perimeter of the crowd where the soldiers are. When the time comes, you are going to have to take them out." He looked at the kid hard in the eyes. "Do you think you can do that?"

The boy nodded, and a montage of emotions flickered across his face. Lance knew what he was thinking. Zarkon and Lotor had nearly annihilated his planet. Probably turned his family or least people that he knew into slaves. Now his village – the village that the people had poured their souls into rebuilding – was being taken hostage once again. This was personal for them.

"Okay, get going." Lance ordered.

The young men turned to leave. "Hey, Lance, how will we know when?"

After a brief glance at Hunk in which time they seemed to share the same thought, Lance smiled and winked. "Don't worry, kid, you'll know."

A confused nod was the only response as the boys began casually pushing themselves back through the crowd. Lance and Hunk turned back to the front only to find themselves only a few steps from the ramp. Ahead of them, two soldiers stood on either side of the hanger entrance. A few more stood behind them pushing their captures onto the ship. Both pilots kept their heads low, praying that they wouldn't be recognized any further until they were in position.

Adrenaline coursed through their veins as they walked up the ramp. Hunk had fallen in step behind Lance as they moved. As they approached the entrance, Hunk kept his gaze on the back of Lance's head. Finally, he got his signal. The large man reared back suddenly, then threw himself forward, barreling into the bewildered soldier to his right, knocking his rifle from his hand and pinning him to the bulkhead.

Lance had already launched himself at the soldier to the left. He grabbed the man's wrist, spun into him, and gripped the man's blaster that he was still holding. Coving the soldier's trigger finger with his own, Lance turned him to face his comrades, forcing him to pull the trigger over and over until the last of the soldiers in the hanger were laying still at their prisoners' feet. "Hunk! The cockpit!" As Hunk hurried to the front of the ship, Lance drew his elbow back hard into the man's face before turning, finally facing him, and with a solid blow, dropped him to the floor.

An uproar from outside snapped his attention back to the crowd. The throng of people still waiting to board were cheering loudly and just on the outskirts of it all, Lance could see the young men holding the Drules' rifles in the air. They had been victorious. He couldn't help but smile as the crowd hoisted the young men up on their shoulders and paraded them around. He wished that Allura could be there to see it all.

"All clear, Lance." Hunk announced as he emerged from the front end of the cruiser, dragging two more unconscious soldiers by the collar. He dropped them to the ground.

Lance nodded. "Good job."

Hunk smiled broadly as he interlaced his fingers and stretched them palm-out in front of him. His knuckles cracked loudly. "I'm just getting warmed up."

"Good, cause we've still got to get to Lotor's ship before he decides to land that thing and make himself at home at the castle."

"Well, what the hell are we waiting for?"

"Lance, what do you want us to do?"

The young men who had assisted them earlier were now standing at the bottom of the ramp, still armed to the teeth with Drule weapons.

Lance squatted down leaning back on his heels. He looked out over the gang of youths and the others behind him. Most of them were middle aged to old men. They needed to get to the safety of the underground caverns. The very same caverns where he and the rest of the team had found them when they first arrived on Arus. It was the safest place for them to go, and he told them so.

The leader of the small band of rebels shook his head vehemently. "I was nine years old when the Drules attacked the first time. By the time I turned eleven, we were already hiding in the caves. I have a little sister. I have no intention of letting her grow up cowering in a cave like a rat. I will die before that happens."

The two lion pilots regarded the passionate young man. Lance nodded. "The first thing you've got to do is get the rest of these people to safety. There will be more Drule troops coming, you can bet on that. Stay hidden until we come for you. And be ready to fight." The youth nodded and turned to leave. "Hey," Lance called, "what's your name?"

"Lorne."

"You did good today, Lorne."

Lorne beamed excitedly at him before turning and leaving with the others.

"Well, Boss," Hunk said, "what now?"

It took Lance a moment to realize that Hunk was talking to him. He was not used to being addressed as _Boss, _and the gravity of the fact that he was indeed in charge now once again made him pause. He quickly shook the feeling. Now was not the time to start getting self-conscious. "Right." He gaged the wreckage of the hanger before formulating and relaying his plan to Hunk.

* * *

><p>"It's done, Hagar!" Lotor crowed as he walked in unannounced into the witch's laboratory in the belly of the Inferno. "I have breached the Castle of Lions, and soon it and Voltron will be mine!" It amazed Lotor how good it felt to say the words out loud. After all the years of utter failure to secure the castle, his troops now had control of it.<p>

From the back of darkened room, only illuminated by black candles, Hagar giggled – if you could really call it that – emitting that high pitch sound that gave even Lotor the creeps at times. "Yes, my King. Victory is close at hand. Would you like to get a closer look at my latest creation?"

Lotor squinted in the dark as he made his way to where Hagar stood. He gazed at the subject of her latest atrocity and cocked his head. "It's done then?"

"Oh yes, Sire. This is my greatest achievement yet. And it is sure to bring down the Voltron Force."

The King of Doom snorted. He had heard those very words many times before, and they usually came just before he was sent back to Doom with his tail between his legs.

"I know you are skeptical, Lotor. But I have been studying these humans for quite some time, now, and I have finally found a chink in their armor. This, My Lord, will exploit their weakness like nothing else can."

"We shall see."

A beep from his comm unit interrupted any further conversation. "Your Majesty," a young Drule's voice addressed him. "You are needed on the bridge, Sire."

Moments later, Lotor breezed onto the bridge of his ship and confidently took his place in the Commander's chair. "On screen." He ordered. The visual in front of him presented a young Drule soldier, dressed from head to toe in a Drule combat uniform, complete with headgear that covered his face completely. "Sir, while we were rounding up slaves from a nearby village, we found something the you might find interesting. Or someone, rather."

Lotor sat forward in his chair. "Who?"

The pilot disappeared from his seat only to return moments later with a very large man who Lotor recognized instantly. "The pilot of the Yellow Lion, Sir. We are almost at your coordinates and request permission to dock, Sire."

The big man thrashed against his restraints, unleashing a stream of what Lotor assumed to be obscenities at him. What the man said mattered very little at the moment, as Lotor felt everything falling into place piece by piece. "Another treasured member of the Voltron Force," he seethed. "You have done well, soldier, and you will be rewarded. You have permission to dock, of course."

"Thank you, Sire."

The largest man of the Voltron Force threw himself toward the screen, baring his teeth that reminded Lotor of his father's hounds that used to guard the slaves in the Doom Pits. "Lotor! I am gonna kick your ass!"

The pilot yanked him back harshly to restrain his prisoner finishing with a sound right hook to the man's face. When he returned, he said, "We will be at your location shortly, My Lord. Then you can exact your own revenge on this scum."

The screen went black and Lotor sat back in his chair with glee. Three out of five pilots in his clutches. Things could not have worked out better if he had planned it this way himself.

* * *

><p>"Damn, Lance, did you have punch me in the face?" Hunk whined from the back of the cruiser, rubbing his chin.<p>

Lance kept his gaze steady as he watched the Inferno appear in front of them. When he was sure that the communications with Lotor's ship were cut, he wrestled the very uncomfortable Drule mask away from his face. It was little big for him, and he hoped that it wouldn't hinder him in a fight. "I pulled that punch, you big baby. And none of that would be necessary if you'd lose a few pounds so you could fit into a soldier uniform."

"Hey," Hunk growled, jabbing at his own torso, "this is all muscle, my friend. If you want me to prove it to you, I'll be more than happy to oblige."

"And what was all that screaming at Lotor about?"

The large man grinned. "Just keeping it authentic."

They watched as the tail end of the Inferno yawned opened to reveal it's rather large hanger bay.

"Yeah, well," Lance said, dawning his disguise once again, "keep brushing up on your acting skills. Cause the odds of us actually pulling this off are pretty slim."

He cut the engines as the cruiser settled into the hanger bay and waited until the hatch closed and the room pressurized. He took a deep breath and centered himself. As he slowly released the air from his lungs, he almost laughed out loud as he recalled all the times that Keith had admonished him for jumping head first in a situation. "_A calm, clear head is the most effective way to approach any opposition," _Keith told him almost on a daily basis. As Lance settled in for what was to come, he thought, _Well, Keith, you'll be happy to know that not all of your words of wisdom have been completely wasted. _

"Okay, big guy, let's get this over with."

Hunk nodded as they got in position with Lance behind him, a Drule rifle tucked snuggly in Hunk's back. "Hey," Hunk said suddenly, "careful not to get an itchy trigger finger with that thing."

"No worries, my friend," Lance responded, "who knows how to handle a gun better than me?"

_Humph..._was Hunk's only response before the cruiser's hatch opened and they stared into the faces of six armed Drules. Just behind them Lance caught a glimpse of something familiar. The Siren. Deirdre's ship. His teeth clenched and he took another long breath to calm himself before shoving Hunk hard, nearly toppling him down the ramp.

"Well, done, soldier," one of the guards commented, "we'll take him from here."

Lance shook his head vehemently. "No way. He's my prisoner. I will take him to Lotor." He shoved Hunk again.

"Wait just a minute!" the Drule said sternly, putting a hand on Lance's shoulder.

Out of shear reflex, Lance spun on the man and pushed him back. Another guard grabbed Lance by the arm and swung him around. Lance kept his feet under him but was unable to keep the over sized helmet in place. The Voltron pilots watched in slow motion as the disguise flew off his head and clattered to the floor. Time stood still for a moment as the guards digested what happened. Lance looked at them, shrugged, and smiled just before raising his rifle. Even before they could scatter, Lance took out two of them. Three of them hid behind the Siren while one fled for the door. Thinking quickly, and with his hands still restrained in front of him, Hunk stooped to pick up one of the fallen soldier's weapons and fired. But he was too late. The guard made it to the door and pulled the alarm just before collapsing to the ground, dead.

While the alarm whined loudly, momentarily distracting the three guards in hiding, Lance and Hunk quickly took them from both sides, easily dropping them one by one.

"Damn it!" Hunk cursed as the red lights flashed around them. He rubbed his wrists as Lance relieved him of his restraints. "Looks like our timetable has been moved up a bit."

Lance nodded. "Let's get going! We're at the bottom of the ship, if I'm right, Keith and Deirdre should be in prisoner quarters one level up. First we need to get to engineering." he reasoned as he ran towards the door. Without having to be told a second time, Hunk was on his heels.

"What about Allura?"

The Commander shook his head. "No way Lotor would keep her in the brig. But we are not leaving this ship without her. Once we get Keith and Deirdre, we can split up to find her."

* * *

><p>"What the hell is going on?" Lotor sneered from his seat on the bridge. The Inferno had been ready to initiate entry into the atmosphere when the alarm sounded, effectively shutting down the landing sequence.<p>

The first officer's fingers flew across the ship's computer keys. "Running a diagnostic now, Sire. It appears that there is an intruder on board, Your Majesty."

"An intruder? How the hell..." Lotor stopped suddenly when the realization that he had been duped struck hard. "The Voltron pilot! Goddammit!" He pounded his fist against the arm of the chair causing most of the officers surrounding him to cringe. "He's come to rescue his friends. Find him! And bring the Princess to the bridge. I will not have them steal her away from me again!" He looked around at the unsure faces around the bridge. "NOW!"

The bridge erupted when everyone seemed to be talking at once – barking orders to their subordinates.

* * *

><p>Allura awoke to the sound of the alarming blaring into her room. She sat up, grateful that the stabbing pain in her head had subsided somewhat. She could hear running feet just outside of her door. Something was very wrong. She got up off the cot slowly, testing her own equilibrium. The lack of the familiar vertigo from earlier made her breathe a sigh of relief. She was going to have to be at her best if she was going to figure out a way to get off the ship. Her thoughts went to Keith and Deirdre. Were they alright? Were they still alive? The last thought made her shutter. She quickly shook it off, however. <em>I'll think about that after I get myself out of here.<em>

She walked to the door and put her ear against it. It sounded like pandemonium in the corridor. What was going on? Then she could hear her own guard talking.

"What's going on?" he was asking.

"We've got an intruder on board. One of the Voltron pilots. Lotor's ordered to kill him on sight. And he wants the princess brought to the bridge."

_Lance, _Allura thought with excitement. He's come for us. Thinking quickly, Allura looked around the nearly empty room for something she could use as a weapon. There was nothing. Her eyes fell on the closet door. With no other options, she gripped the sides of the full length mirror hanging there and pulled. It didn't move. She tried again. Nothing. _Come on, Allura, your the princess of Arus! You fly the Blue Lion! You have survived your planet being ravaged by monsters and rebuilt it! Now find your strength, damn it, and do this! _For some reason the last thought came out sounding a little like Lance in her head, but it was just the voice of inspiration that she needed. Bracing her foot on the wall to use as extra weight, Allura took a deep breath and, summoning all her strength, she yanked one more time. She was elated when the mirror gave way almost knocking her over as it came down.

Having very little time to congratulate herself, she moved to stand on the other side of the door. Just as she hoped, it opened and her guard entered, walking all the way into the room. He was looking around, obviously confused, when the mirror came crashing down over his head. He dropped to the ground hard.

Allura stared for a moment at his still body. She was shocked that her plan had actually worked. As her brain shifted into autopilot, she found herself stooping to pick up the man's rifle.

"What the hell is going on?"

Her head snapped up to see two soldiers standing in the doorway. All of the survival instincts within Allura, along with all of her training, bubbled to the surface. No way in hell was she going to let them take her to Lotor alive again. Without any further thought, she raised the rifle in her hands, and fired. As the two guards dropped to the floor, she felt her lungs begin to work again, taking deep breaths while running escape scenarios in her head. First and foremost, she decided, she had to get to her feet and get the hell out of there. Squaring her shoulders, she stood up, tucked the rifle to her side, and stepped out into the corridor.


	17. Chapter 17

Even with their presence being publicized throughout the ship via the alarm system, Lance and Hunk were able to catch the engineering crew unaware as they barreled into the room, guns blazing. It had taken little effort to neutralize the soldiers who now lay at their feet.

Lance poured over the ship's schematics that he had managed to hack from the computer mainframe while Hunk squeezed into a crawlspace near the ships core. To Lance's delight, he found that the brig was somewhere on the same level that they currently occupied. That fact should make it easier to track down Keith and Deirdre. The one problem that they would face would be time. Especially if Hunk could manage to complete his task.

Before he had been evacuated underground, Pidge had given Hunk a project that he had been working on for such an occasion that they might have to take out a Drule ship from the inside. It had yet to be tested, and Pidge admitted that he had no idea if it would actually work. They all agreed, however, that under the circumstances, it was as good a time as any to give it a test run. Now Hunk scrambled beneath the bulkhead to attach the small object to the computer's mainframe. A loud grunt of satisfaction from the large man as he backed out of the crawlspace told Lance that was now a non-issue.

"It's done?" Lance asked.

Hunk nodded. "The virus will be released into the computer, effectively shutting down the system. The ship will recognize that there is an internal system failure, causing the computer to initiate the self destruct sequence."

"How much time do we have?"

"Pidge said around twenty minutes."

"Well, we better get going then."

They made their way back into the corridor. Red lights flashed as the alarm continued to wail loudly. Fortunately, the corridor was empty at the moment, giving them a brief reprieve. Lance led the way taking two quick turns before stopping. He motioned silently to Hunk that the prisoners' quarters should be just around the next corner. There would most definitely be guards in the corridor so they would have to quick and accurate. Both men held their rifles at the ready as they rushed around the corner. Just as they had known, two guards stood at the ready. But they were not fast enough to dodge the barrage of bullets that came their way and soon lay quiet. Wasting no time, Hunk yanked the access panel off the wall and quickly hot wired the circuits allowing the door to slide open.

The room was pitch black and hot as hell causing beads of sweat to immediately form on Lance's forehead. He felt along the wall for a light source and squinted when light filled the room. The room was empty save for the lone figure hanging by his wrists, his toes barely grazing the floor. His head hung forward, tangled wet hair matted to his face.

"Keith!" Lance sprinted to his friend's side. "Keith." His heart dropped when he did not receive an immediate answer. He tried to lift Keith's body, but the hanging dead weight made it nearly impossible. "Hunk! Give me a hand!"

With the stronger man's help, they lifted Keith's unresponsive body off of the hook and laid him on the ground. They both stared for an agonizing moment until Keith's chest moved every so slightly and a shallow breath escaped his lips.

"Thank the gods." Hunk whispered.

Lance took a quick analysis of Keith's condition. His face was stark white except for the black circles under his red eye lids. A blood soaked bandage covered some sort of wound on his shoulder that had yet to even begin to heal. With the sudden movement, the wound had reopened and now spilled blood over his sleeve and onto the floor. "This is bad." He finally said, realizing that he was stating the obvious. "How are we going to get him out of here?"

"No worries," Hunk said. "I'll carry him." Without wasting another moment, Hunk lifted Keith up and tossed him easily over his shoulder. The commander hung limply like a rag doll.

Lance was about to tell Hunk to get Keith to the nearest escape pod and get him off the ship but was interrupted by the sounds of blaster fire in the corridor. With a quick look, Lance told Hunk to stay where he was while Lance moved quickly to investigate. The sounds died into silence as quickly as they had started. With a deep breath and rifle at the ready, Lance leaned his head into the corridor to get a look.

"Lance!" Allura screeched loudly as she lowered her own blaster. As he stepped into the corridor, she threw herself at him, hugging his neck fiercely. He wrapped his arms around her squeezed her tight before setting her back to feet.

He gave her a once over raising an eyebrow at the white tank top and pants that she was wearing. "Are you alright?" He pushed a strand of hair from her forehead, noting the bandage just over her eye.

"I'm fine. It's just a scratch from when Blue Lion crashed."

Lance scanned the corridor quickly finally noticing the five Drule soldiers lying lifeless on the floor. He recognized two as the ones he had taken out just moments before, but the other three... He raised an eyebrow at Allura. "You?" She nodded, and he smiled at her. "I'm impressed."

She cocked her head to look at him sideways. "I had a good teacher."

"Hey, is everything clear out here?" Hunk said as he emerged from the room to meet them with Keith still in tow.

Allura's eyes widened as she stared at the commander's still form. "Is he?"

"He's alive." Lance quickly filled her in on what little he knew about Keith's injuries. "We have to get you and him out of here."

"What about Deirdre?" Allura said quickly. She owed it to Deirdre to make sure that they all got out safe.

Lance took a deep breath. He had not forgotten about Deirdre, and he knew that Allura would refuse to leave until Deirdre was found. He also knew that they had very little time. "Hunk, get Keith and Allura back to the hanger bay. Take the cruiser we came in on. I'm going to find Deirdre."

"Now wait just a minute. If you think that I'm going to let you stay here and look for her alone, you are out of your mind." Allura stood firm with her hands on her hips. Lance immediately recognized the look aimed at him. Only it was usually Keith on the receiving end of said look. It suddenly occurred to him that there was a lot more on Keith's plate than simply commanding the Voltron Force. Dealing with a head strong princess was at the top of that list.

"Allura, we don't have time to debate this. Hunk has planted a self destruct virus on the ship and you have a planet full of people whose lives depend on you getting back to Arus." He held his breath as he watched her. He felt a pang of guilt for throwing out the Arus card, but there simply was not time for them to argue. But he had one more ace. He lowered his voice. "And Keith is going to need you, Princess. You have to make sure that he survives."

That did it. He could see the resignation in her expression as she glanced at a Keith and nodded. "Good," he said. "Now get going."

Hunk started back the way they had come, but turned once more to Lance. "You sure about this."

Lance nodded. "I've got this. Deidre and I will meet you underground."

The big man nodded, shifted Keith's weight on his shoulder and hurried back down the corridor, followed closely by Allura. Lance watched them until they disappeared around the corner, then he powered up his rifle and turned in the opposite direction to find Deirdre.

* * *

><p>"I want a report NOW!" Lotor bellowed from the captain's chair on the bridge of the ship.<p>

"We have received no reports since the intruder came on board, Sire," the communications officer replied, making absolutely sure not to make eye contact.

Lotor slumped in his chair with his head in his hand. "How incompetent do these men have to be to not be able to find one scrawny member of the Voltron Force? And where is the Princess?"

The lights on the bridge flickered quickly before the room fell dark and the emergency lights came on casting an eerie red glare upon them. _What now? _Lotor groaned to himself.

"Your Majesty, internal scans are picking up a virus that has been embedded into the ship's mainframe. It's shutting down all the systems." The bridge fell into silence as the man continued to stare at the console before him. He turned his chair around suddenly to face Lotor; a grave expression on his face. "Sir, the virus has activated the ship's self destruct sequence."

"WHAT?" Lotor was on his feet as the bridge erupted into unfettered chaos. "Can you stop it?"

The man's fingers flew across the console. "The virus originated in engineering. I'm trying to reach someone down there, but there is no answer."

"How long do we have?" Lotor seethed.

"Ten minutes at the most," the officer's voice began to crack. Lotor made no reply but turned and marched toward the door leading to the corridor. "What should we do, Sire?"

Lotor turned and gave him a flippant look. He had no intention of going down with Zeppo's piece of shit that he called a ship. "What do you think you should do? Abandon ship." With those last words to his crew, he turned and disappeared down the corridor.

His thoughts were a blur as he snaked his way through the hallway, sidestepping out of control crewmen who were scrambling to get off the ship. Word had already spread that they were aboard a doomed vessel. He thought of Allura. She was still somewhere on the ship. He would find her and take her with him as he made his heroic escape.

"Lotor!" He turned to find Hagar hurrying in his direction. "We must leave now." she said.

"I'm going to find Allura." He replied.

She shook her head with disgust. "Don't be stupid, Lotor. You have no idea where she is on the ship. Is she really worth dying for?"

Her reasoning gave Lotor pause. While his obsession with Allura was indeed a strong one, in the end, Lotor looked out for only one person. Lotor. While the thought of being Allura's savior was appealing, he realized that it would take time to comb the ship for her. Was she really worth it? Hell no.

He nodded to the witch. "Let's get to an escape pod."

* * *

><p>Allura walked behind Hunk as he lumbered down the corridor with Keith still in tow. She gripped her gun ready to neutralize anyone who might try to stand between them and escape. Now that the crew knew about the virus on the ship, however, none of them really seemed to care about the intruders on board, so they were pretty much left on their own to find a way off the ship. She stared at Keith's black hair as it moved carelessly against Hunk's back as the commander's head swayed back and forth. She felt sick. There was no telling what kind of pain Lotor had inflicted upon the man because of her.<p>

Everything that had happened to Keith since the day he had crash landed on her planet had been because of her. Because of her, he and his team had stayed on Arus to protect her people. Because of her, Keith had disobeyed direct orders from his superiors, railing against the very principles that he swore an oath to uphold. And because of her, he had stood bravely between her and the one thing that he knew she could not bear to suffer through. Lotor.

Allura had found in the last years of Zarkon's reign of terror that she had the strength to stand against anything. Except being a possession for Lotor. Of course, Lotor would never harm her. Not by his standards anyway. Allura knew that she would never be in any physical danger from Lotor, but he was cruel and savage to anyone who would stand against him. That was the part that Allura could not stomach; watching while innocent people suffered at Lotor's hands. She would rather be dead. But Keith had made it his life's mission to keep her out of the monster's clutches. And up until that moment, he had been very successful. This time, his unwavering devotion to her safety may just have cost him his life.

"How much farther?" she asked Hunk. It seemed as if they had been walking for ever. Of course logically she knew that only a short time had past.

"Should be right here." he replied, stopping in front of a door. He shifted Keith's weight to allow him to turn the release lever that opened the door. They turned right into the hanger and breathed a collective sigh as they climbed aboard the same freighter that Hunk and Lance had arrived in. Hunk laid Keith gently on the floor of the cockpit before dropping into the pilot's seat and began the power up sequence. Allura stared for a moment as his prone figure. It would be a bumpy ride to the surface and there was no way to secure him. She dropped to sit on the floor, gathering him in her arms.

"You might want to strap in, Allura, this is not going to be an easy trip." Hunk said, glancing back at her.

"I'm fine, Hunk." she assured him, instinctively pulling Keith tighter to her, tucking his head under her chin. "Just get us home."

"You got it, Princess."

Hunk waited for what seemed like an eternity as the bay doors opened up to the dark space outside. He pulled on the throttle and guided the freighter into the starry sky. Allura watched as the Drule command ship got smaller and smaller and couldn't help but think about Lance and Deirdre and wondering if she would ever see them again.

* * *

><p>Lance cursed loudly when he looked into the last room in the corridor and found it empty. Where the hell was Deirdre? He glanced at his watched. He was running out of time, and he knew that very soon he was going to have to make a choice: either he was going to have to leave her on the ship while he escaped to safety or stay himself and be blown to bits. Neither prospect was very appealing. He stuck his head out into the corridor. It was empty. Most of the crew had evacuated once word got out that the ship would self destruct. He stepped out into the corridor and took another turn around the corner only to be brought face to face with the person he had been looking for.<p>

He stopped short and did a double take. The blond hair that was fading into red at the roots and blue-green eyes threw him for a moment. And the Drule uniform that she was sporting definitely looked awkward. But it was Deirdre none the less. Lance felt elated, like the weight of the world had just been lifted from his shoulders.

"Deirdre, thank god. I've been looking for you all over this damned ship." He reached out to grab her arm. "Come on, we've got to get the hell out of here."

She narrowed her eyes at him and jerked her arm from him. Then, before Lance had even grasped what was going on, she drew out the pistol in her belt and fired.

Fortunately for Lance, while it took his brain a moment to register the events, years of special training instinctively forced his body to move out the way the moment the gun was produced. The blaster nicked his arm causing him to cry out as he threw himself into an open doorway and out of her line of sight.

"Jesus Deirdre, what the fuck?" he screamed at her, keeping pressure applied to his wound with his free hand.

She began speaking to someone, but not to him. He stuck his head out the doorway to get a look only to have another blast force him to retreat.

"You majesty, I have found the intruder." she was saying into a hand held comm. "Should I take him alive?"

"No need," a voice replied. "Soon the entire Voltron Force will be inconsequential."

From where he stood, Lance blanched. The voice was unmistakable. She was talking to Lotor.

"Kill him." Lotor continued. "And do not leave this ship until he is dead. Do you understand me?"

Deirdre hesitated slightly. "But Sire, the ship..."

"Those are your orders. If you want to get off this ship alive, I suggest that you make his death a quick one." Lotor growled.

Lance was struggling to understand exactly what was going on. Deirdre was taking orders from Lotor now? There was no way she would willingly fall into league with the madman.

"Hagar and I are leaving the ship as we speak. Are we clear on your assignment?"

Deirdre's voice faltered slightly, but she quickly recovered. "Yes, Sire."

Hagar. Lance shook his head, still struggling with the new information. Hagar was dead. Wasn't she?Apparently not. But now everything was beginning to make sense. Hagar was behind the failing castle circuitry. Deirdre had hit it on the head when she said that it was magic. And now, Hagar must have Deirdre under some sort of spell. And it seemed to be a pretty powerful one if Deirdre was willing to stay on a doomed ship just on orders. She never even had that kind of loyalty when she enlisted in Galaxy Garrison. And that was voluntary.

He glanced at his watch again. "Damn it." he said under his breath. They were running out of time. He had to find a way to reason with her. "Deirdre," he said calmly. "it's me Lance. I need you to listen to me. We have got to get off this ship."

He could hear her footsteps. She was walking towards him. "Forget it, Lance. I have orders."

"You're going to stay on a ship that's going self destruct in a matter of minutes just to make sure that I'm dead? Doesn't that sound just a little loony tunes to you?"

"I have orders."

She was closer now, and it seemed to Lance that negotiations were not going to work. He shrugged. Screw it. Negotiations were never his strong suit anyway. Best to stick with what you know. With lightening speed, he stepped out from the doorway, aimed, and fired. His sudden change in tactics took Deirdre by surprise allowing Lance to get a clean shot at her hand.

She screeched loudly as the gun flew from her hand. While she was occupied, Lance quickly reset his blaster to stun and fired again. This time he hit her square in the chest and she fell to the ground, unconscious. He stared at her still frame for a moment. This was not how he had envisioned the rescue. He certainly hadn't planned on have to carry her out. _To hell with it, _he thought and he scooped her up, securing her firmly over his shoulder as Hunk had done Keith only moments before. He was acutely aware that his shoulder was still bleeding slightly from the blaster shot, but he gritted his teeth. No time to worry about that now. He ran down the corridor toward the hanger bay.

The ship was nearly empty now so there was no opposition as he moved quickly. Halfway to the hanger, the lights in the corridor cut out and were replaced by an eerie red glow from overhead. The ship was shutting down all the power now, and Lance knew that they only had minutes left. He shifted Deirdre's weight and renewed his resolve. There was no way in hell that he was going to let them die on that ship. He pushed forward, finally turning into the hanger bay.

Lance went immediately to the Siren and climbed in. He secured her in the co-pilot's seat before beginning the power up sequence. There was no time to gently guide the Siren out of the port. Even if they managed to escape, he still had to get them far enough away that the blast wouldn't rip them to pieces. So Lance took a deep breath and punched the throttle sending them speeding into space.

The Siren shook violently as it descended, and Lance prayed that they would get enough distance. Time was up, however, and he felt rather than heard as the Inferno explode behind him. He gripped the Siren's controls tightly, bracing himself for the inevitable back blast.

It hit as expected, catapulting the Siren forward at an insane speed toward the surface of Arus. The circuits shorted out, and Lance suddenly found himself sitting in the pilot seat of an uncontrollable ship. The console lights flickered briefly before returning him to darkness. Lance's heart sank. He tried again. Nothing. No, no, no...this could not be happening. His fingers flew over the now malfunctioning controls as they barreled toward the planet.

"COME ON, DAMN YOU!" This time he got a half hearted start from the ship, but it was enough.

With luck and skill, he hoped that he could stabilize the ship enough that they could crash land without destroying them. He watched as the surface became more visible. He could now make out the lakes and the trees of the forest. Working at a fevered pitch, he was about to lose all hope when the propulsion system suddenly sputtered to life. While the thrusters offered a little bit of stabilization and slowed them down a bit, Lance knew that they were far too close to the surface for a proper landing.

He waited until the last possible moment before he abandoned the pilot's seat. He grabbed Deirdre, hauled her under the console and covered her body with his own in the cramped space. The impact rocked them violently as the Siren crashed into the trees, knocking down everything in it's path as it sheered through the forest for more than a mile before finally coming to rest.

* * *

><p>"Princess, thank the maker you have made it back safely!" Coran cried as he gathered Allura into his arms.<p>

Hunk had landed the Drule cruiser near the desert cave that served as the lair for the sleeping Yellow Lion. It was far enough from the castle as to make it nearly impossible for them to be detected. The Drules would most certainly be expecting them to attempt to retake the castle so any space around the castle would be heavily monitored. But there was another reason had made the most sense for them to land near Yellow's lair. Aside from keeping the lions safe from those who would want to have them for themselves, each of the lairs hid secret entrance that cut deep into the earth, leading to the underground catacombs that served as the security bunkers for the castle. This made it much more accessible for Allura and Hunk to move Keith to safety.

The bunkers had been dug out just under the castle and fashioned into an underground city of sorts. There were sleeping quarters and a kitchen stocked with enough rations to keep the castle residents comfortable for some time along with most of the necessary amenities. In the center of it all, the castle's core energy source ran straight down into the earth. Of course with the castle's circuitry out of commission, they had been forced to make due with back up generators for essential functions.

Now Allura, Hunk, Pidge, and Coran waited outside of the medical bay where Dr. Gorma was tending to their fallen comrade. Rebeka stood next to Hunk, offering her support. While Allura was very relieved to back with her people, Keith's condition and the whereabouts of Lance and Deirdre weighed heavily on her.

"I wish my homecoming was under better circumstances," she replied to the older man.

"Yes," Coran answered simply, and it occurred to Allura that he looked much older than had only days earlier. "Your Majesty, I know that you are worried about the commander, but there are things that need to be addressed immediately.

"Lotor, I know." she said.

Pidge cleared his throat and waited as the princess turned her attention to him. "Hagar's magic may have backfired in our favor, Princess. Apparently, they have not been able to get the energy core back up and running. We may be able to use that to our advantage."

"How so?"

Before he could answer, the waiting room door flew open with a BANG and a young soldier hurried in. "Your Majesty, we have news! Some of our surface guards have confirmed, the Inferno has been destroyed."

Allura glanced at Hunk who's concerned face mirrored her own horror. "Has anyone heard from Lieutenant McClain?" She was pretty sure that she didn't want to know the answer.

The young man's face faltered. "No, Your Majesty. There has been no word from the Lieutenant."

The princess took a deep breath to steady herself. She could not afford to fall apart now. "Okay, I want to be informed immediately if there is any new information.

"Yes, Your Majesty." The soldier bowed low before turning and retreated the way he came.

"Allura," Hunk began.

"I know, Hunk." she cut him off as she looked around the room at the solemn faces. "For the moment, we are going to assume that Lance and Deirdre found a way off of that ship before it blew up. We will simply maintain operations as if Lance is MIA." She made sure that she had their full attention before she continued. "They are NOT dead." she declared. "And we have to work on the notion that Lotor was also able to get off that ship. I will not let him keep control of my castle."

Pidge and Hunk nodded, and Coran while still looking skeptical, finally conceded. They had to believe that Lance and Deirdre were still alive. It was at that moment that the exam room door opened, and Dr. Gorma stepped out. His frustrated expression made Allura's heart stop.

Gorma looked them group over before beginning. "First, I am going to say that the commander is very lucky that he made it back alive. He had lost quite a bit of blood, but a number of transfusions seem to have stabilized him. He was also extremely dehydrated so he is on a saline drip at the moment until his electrolytes return to normal. He is resting comfortably now and appears to be past the worst of it. We won't know much more than that until we wakes and I can do a complete physical and psychological exam."

"Psychological exam?" Hunk asked. "What for?"

The doctor took off his glasses and wiped them with a cloth. "The commander has been through quite an ordeal. There's no way to know if he has been subjected to specific kinds of torture. On top of that, the severe dehydration that he suffered can sometimes have an affect on brain function. So far there are no anomalies showing up on the scans, but like I said, we won't know for sure until he wakes."

Allura took in everything the doctor was saying. Was it possible that Keith would wake up as a different person? Would he still be able to lead the Voltron Force? While she knew that those same questions weighed heavy on everyone's minds, she could not bring herself to voice her concerns aloud. They needed Keith to be alright. They needed Lance to be alive. They needed to all be together again. But now it was nothing more than a waiting game. And while they waited, Allura's worst nightmares were coming true. Lotor had taken her castle, and she would die before she would allow him to remain there.


	18. Chapter 18

Lance stuck his head out of the top hatch of the Siren. They had come to a stop in the middle of the forest. Surrounded by the dark of night, it was nearly impossible for him to tell where exactly they had landed. Easing himself back into the cockpit, Lance glanced to where Deirdre was now laying tied up against the cabin bulkhead. The only light available at that moment was a steady stream of moonlight coming through the front glass of the ship. He frowned. The jolt that she had received courtesy of his rifle had knocked her out longer than he had anticipated. There was no way that he could carry her through the woods in the dark. Even if he could, there was no way he could find his way out.

There was also the notion that even if she woke up, she might still have it in her head to kill him. She was clearly not in her right mind, and they had Lotor to thank for that. Lance had no idea how Lotor had managed to brainwash Deirdre, but Lance was intent on killing him for it.

Lance shook his head to clear it. Planning his revenge against that bastard was not going to get them out of their present situation. He suddenly felt very tired and realized that he had not slept in almost two days. Drule troops were most likely crawling all over the Arusian landscape. The best plan at the moment would be to stay where they were and wait for morning. He sank to the floor across from Deirdre and reached up to gingerly touch the large gash on his forehead that he had received courtesy of the ship's console when they had crashed into the trees. It had stopped bleeding for the most part, but had left him with a splitting headache.

Rustling from the other side of the cabin brought his attention to Dierdre as she struggled to a sitting position with her back against the bulkhead. She was mumbling what he could only assume to be a string of profanities through the cloth gag in her mouth. He watched her for a moment until she finally noticed him and settled a bit.

"I'll let the gag loose if you keep your mouth shut." he said with the utmost intensity. "If you scream or do anything to give away our position, I will stun you again. Understand?"

She glared at him for a moment before deciding that she would rather be quiet than be knocked out again. She nodded. He crawled the length between them and pulled the cloth down so that it fell around her neck.

"Where the hell are we?"

Lance sat back on his heels. "We're in your ship. We crashed on Arus. Sorry about the ropes, but you did try to kill me."

She narrowed her eyes at him and for a brief moment, he hoped that she might actually yell at him for wrecking her precious ship. Then he would know that _his _Deirdre was still in there. He was disappointed when she responded with, "What are you going to do with me?"

"I'm going to take you to someone who can help me figure out what Lotor did to you, and how to fix it."

She shivered violently, and it occurred to Lance that the temperature in the cabin had dropped considerably since they had landed. While there was no true winter on Arus, there were times of the year when the nights could get exceptionally chilly. Moving around the cabin quickly, he managed to find a blanket that Deirdre kept in storage. Dropping next to her so that they sat shoulder to shoulder, he covered them both.

Meeting her eyes, he could barely see clearly enough to recognize that they had turned back to their normal shade of green. There was no blue left in them at all. And her hair, which had been blond when he found her on the Inferno was streaking with her natural red. The subtle changes gave him hope. Maybe the spell was wearing off.

Deirdre watched him with curiosity. "You do know that if I get out of these restraints...I will kill you."

He sighed. "Yes, I know."

"Then why are you trying to help me?" she asked in a soft voice.

He watched her again for a moment. "Because I know that Deirdre – the one who doesn't want to kill me – is still in there somewhere. And I am not going to stop until we get her back."

He met her gaze until she was forced to look away, but before she did, he saw a small glimmer of conflict within her. Maybe there was a way to get to her after all.

Silence fell around them, and the irony was not lost on Lance. It was a very rare occasion that neither he nor Deirdre could come up with a quick-witted quip – one always trying to outsmart the other. But now they sat with nothing to say. Feeling the exhaustion settling in, Lance leaned his head against the bulkhead and without even realizing it, he closed his eyes.

* * *

><p>The sun's early morning rays filtered into the castle, bringing a welcome light to the dark walls. Walking unhindered into the Castle of Lions through the front door was supposed to be Lotor's final victory. To an extent is was, but as he gazed up at the five colored banners hanging over the doors of the Great Hall, Lotor felt less than victorious. Things had unraveled very quickly on the Inferno. While he and Hagar had managed to board an escape pod and arrive safely on the surface of Arus, there was no way to know whether or not Allura had gotten off the ship before it blew up. On the brighter side of the situation, Lotor relished the fact that there was no possible way that Keith could have escaped the blaze. The Commander of the Voltron Force, the bane of Lotor's existence for so long, was dead. It felt strange that Keith was no longer standing between him and what he wanted most in the world. Voltron.<p>

Hagar appeared beside him. "Welcome to your Castle, King Lotor."

"Why is it so dark in here?" Lotor growled at her.

She gave him a menacing smile, showing off her sharp teeth. "Allow me." She lifted her staff, muttering a few words. As she finished the incantation, the lights of the castle blinked several times before roaring to life.

Lotor took another look around, noticing the walls for the first time. A very large painting of King Alfor, his wife, and their beloved daughter adorned most of the wall. Just below it, hung five smaller portraits. Lotor recognized them disgust. Hunk, Pidge, Keith, Lance, and Sven. All of them posing on the heads of their respective lions, hanging with honor on the wall with the monarchs of Arus.

The new King scowled. "I liked this castle better when it was still in the dark. I want these monstrosities removed and destroyed immediately."

Hagar nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty. Would you like to get settled in before we begin with the business at hand?"

He shook his head. "The first order of business is the most important." He leveled his gaze at the witch. "The Voltron Lions."

"I already have men working on it." she replied. "Shall we check their progress?"

Lotor felt heady with anticipation. "Yes."

They soon found themselves in then control room. All of the lights were back on now and several Drule soldiers milled around getting acclimated with the Castle's technology.

"Where are my lions?" Lotor demanded as he marched into the room with Hagar in tow. There was silence for a moment, and Lotor got the feeling that he had asked the wrong question. He picked one of the technicians who stood closest to the main console and leveled his gaze at him. "Well?"

The man's expression faltered. "We are still unable to access the lions, Sire." he mumbled, staring at Lotor's boots.

Lotor frowned then glanced at Hagar. "I thought that you lifted the spell on the castle."

"I did." she retorted, lifting her chin. She was appalled that her skills would be questioned.

"Then what the hell is going on? Where are my lions?" Lotor struggled to maintain some semblance of composure for he would surely kill everyone in the room if he lost his temper.

"Sire," a different technician answered from the other side of the console. "Apparently the castle's mainframe has a failsafe mechanism guarding it from magic. When the witch cast her spell, the central controls separated itself from the lion's motherboard. It could take some time before we are able to figure out how to access the lions. If it is even possible now."

Lotor growled, glaring from the tech to Hagar, contemplating which one of them to berate first. Before he could get a word out, a loud beep echoed through the control room.

"Your Majesty, we are being hailed by Emperor Zeppo."

The world slowed for a moment as the soldier's words resonated with Lotor. Zeppo had come to Arus sooner than expected. _No, no, no! _Lotor fumed. _Not yet, I'm not ready yet! _

"You Majesty, Zeppo wishes to speak to you. What shall I tell him?"

"Put him on-screen."

Zeppo's larger than life image appeared on the view-screen. "Lotor!" his voice boomed through the speakers.

Lotor took a deep breath and through clenched teeth responded, "Yes, Your Excellency."

"What is your status?"

"We are still securing the castle, Excellency."

"And Voltron?"

"Nothing yet, but we are still working on it."

"And my ship?"

"There was a...malfunction." Lotor lied. "The ship got infected with a virus that triggered the self-destruct mechanism. The ship was destroyed."

"Typical," Zeppo sighed. "You always get so close, before you do something to screw it up, don't you, Lotor."

Lotor lowered his voice. "Yes, Your Eminence."

"My fleet will be in Arusian airspace in a matter of hours. I expect you to have your shit together when I arrive."

"Yes, My Emperor."

Zeppo's image disappeared. Lotor moved his gaze around the room, daring anyone to meet his glare. None did. Suddenly, the anger that he had held checked only moments ago unleashed itself. "HEAR THIS, ALL OF YOU. I WANT THOSE LIONS FOUND BEFORE ZEPPO REACHES ARUSIAN SPACE OR ALL OF YOUR HEADS WILL BE HANGING IN THE COURTYARD ON STAKES!"

With every soldier in the control center quaking in their boots, Lotor turned sharply on his heel and stormed from the room.

* * *

><p>The birds sang merrily as a cool breeze rustled the tall trees of the ancient Arusian forest. As the nocturnal woodland creatures found safe places to sleep in the early morning hours, the animals that roamed in the daylight were finding their way out of the safety of their comfortable homes. One such animal – a small furry creature that hunted in the top of the thick canopy of the forest – bounded playfully from branch to branch, enjoying the crisp morning air. It stopped briefly to gaze curiously at the large, shiny object that had invaded its tranquil home. The crackling of leaves on the ground under unknown footsteps prompted the creature back into motion. As it jumped from the small branch that it used as a perch, the branch snapped and fell, landing with a thud on the object below.<p>

It was that loud thud of the branch banging against the hull of the Siren was what jerked Lance out of his much needed sleep. He blinked his eyes as they adjusted to the light streaming through the front dash of the cockpit. It took him several seconds for the last few days to catch up with his consciousness. He glanced down at the light weight resting on his shoulder. Deirdre rested peacefully with her head propped against him. He leaned his own head against the bulkhead and listened to the morning sounds of the forest. Under any other circumstance, he might have welcomed his current predicament. As it was his neck was stiff, his ass was numb, and his bladder was screaming at him to take care of some much needed business.

Gently shrugging Deirdre's head from his shoulder, he eased to his feet and climbed out of the escape hatch and out onto the hull of the ship. He glanced around briefly, and once he was sure that nothing was amiss, he dropped to the ground and dashed for the nearest tree. He had just finished relieving himself when he heard the footsteps. Keeping himself hidden behind the tree, he stood stock still, listening. He could make out one set of footsteps. Of course, that only meant that one body had been sent out to scout. No doubt there were more to follow. They would find the Siren soon enough.

As they neared, Lance eased his pistol from its holster. He waited until they were almost right on top of him. Then, taking a deep breath, he stepped out from hiding, leveling his aim at the man in front of him, who, incidentally also had his weapon drawn and aimed right at Lance's head. The two of them stood in the tableau for a few moments before realization dawned on them both.

"This is getting to be a bad habit for us, McClain." Richie Vanderlough almost smirked as he lowered his weapon and holstered it.

Swallowing the urge just to shoot him right then and there, Lance reluctantly followed suit and put his own pistol away. "What the hell are you doing here, Richie?"

"Lance!" The restrained cry from Romelle as she and Sven entered the scene confused Lance even further. She hurried to him, throwing her arms around him.

Sven clapped him hard on the shoulder. "When we saw the ship go down, we feared the worst, brother."

Lance could only shrugged, still not really sure what exactly was going on.

"Are Keith and Allura with you?" Romelle asked, hopeful.

He shook his head. "I sent them ahead with Hunk. I'm assuming that they made it off the ship."

"That's a pretty heavy assumption." Richie retorted, eyeballing the Siren just behind Lance. "Where's Deirdre?"

Lance was about to explain when a loud voice suddenly erupted from the ship. "I'm in here! He's got me tied up. Help!"

Before Lance could stop him, Richie pushed passed him, easily pulling his large frame onto the hull of the ship.

"Richie, wait!" Lance called scrambling to catch him. "You don't..." But it was too late. By the time Lance had climbed up the side of the ship, Richie had disappeared through the escape hatch. When Lance finally dropped down into the cockpit, Richie was already kneeling in front of Deirdre, preparing to cut her loose.

Lance knew that he didn't have time to explain, nor would Richie listen. So he did the only thing he could think of. He unholstered his pistol and leveled it once again at Richie.

"Stop, Richie. Do no untie her."

The bigger man glared at him. "What the hell is wrong with you, McClain? What's with the ropes?"

"She's not who you think she is, Richie." With his gun still in hand, Lance quickly explained what had happened on the Inferno, and that Deirdre was under one of Hagar's spells and how she tried to kill him putting emphasis on the crudely wrapped blaster wound on his arm. Richie looked skeptical. "She's wearing the uniform of a Drule soldier, Richie. Look at her eyes and her hair."

Richie finally took full stock of Deirdre's appearance. While her natural red was showing through more and more, the blond was still streaked prominently throughout her hair. As he looked closer, he did notice that her eyes were not the same color jade that they normally were. They carried more of a blue-green hue now. She was definitely different. Finally resigned, Richie stood up and turned to Lance, who lowered his weapon. "Magic did that to her, Richie."

Richie took a deep breath and leaned heavily against the bulkhead. He appeared to want to say something and Lance could only assume that it was another tirade about how if Deirdre hadn't been involved with him and Keith, none of it would have ever happened. As it happened, Richie didn't say anything about it. Instead he spoke in a low, almost sad voice, "So what now?"

Lance suddenly felt prickly. It was not an abnormal sensation when Richie was around. He looked the bigger man in the eye. "We're going to find out how this happened to her, and we're going to figure out how to fix her."

"Hey," Romelle's voice filtered in from outside. "what's going on in there?"

Minutes later, Lance, Richie, and a still bound and very irritated Deirdre stood outside the ship in cool morning air. Sven was filling Lance in on the current situation.

"So after we got the word from Jeff, we decided that you might need some reinforcements on the ground." Sven was saying. "We've got several platoons holding position just on the other side of the mountains."

Lance smiled. "Wonderful. We're going to need all the help we can get. What about Garrison? Are they sending in the troops as well?"

Sven and Romelle glanced uneasily at each other. The princess shrugged. "When last we talked, the Vehicle Force had not been reinstated. Jeff didn't know what Wade has planned."

"So we're on our own." Lance finished her thought before smirking at her. "Just the way I like it."

There was a moment of silence before the inevitable question was raised by Richie. "What are we going to do with her?" he asked motioning to Deirdre.

Lance let out a slow breath. "Everyone in the castle was evacuated underground. Green's lair isn't far from here. We can use the access tunnels to get to the others." He paused glancing from Deirdre to Richie. "Dr. Gorma has a decent medical facility there, and with a little luck, Keith, Allura, and Hunk have made it back already and we can get a plan of action together."

* * *

><p>The silence was palpable as Lance led his party of five to the entrance to where Green Lion was resting – waiting – bound to his lair by treacherous magic. The entrance to the dark cave leading to the left arm of Voltron sent a cool, yet welcoming gust of air that encircled the group. Romelle shivered slightly, pulling her jacket tighter around her body. She paused for a moment, peering into the dark passage. A warm hand on her arm made her look up. Sven smiled down at her, silently telling her that everything was okay.<p>

Deirdre had been uncharacteristically quiet since they had been found earlier that morning at her ship. It made Lance decidedly uneasy. His imagination created lavish pictures of her silently following him, planning a most heinous demise for him. It drove him mad. At least if they were sparring verbally he could keep his mind off of the unknown. He had thought more than once about trying to provoke her only to realize that he truly had nothing to say to her. Not the way she was at that moment. Instead, he focused on the low hum that reverberated throughout the tunnel. It wasn't a sound that he was familiar with but it seemed to get louder the further in they walked.

After what seemed like a lifetime, the dark, cramped tunnel opened up into a large cavern, and there, standing proudly, ready for action was the left arm of Voltron – the Green Lion. Lance stopped to gaze up at the beast. The hum had now become so loud that he could feel the vibrations under his feet.

"What's that noise?" Sven asked loudly. He was standing next to Lance now.

Lance shrugged. "I have no idea, but I think it's coming from the lion."

"Deirdre!" Romelle's shriek grabbed their attention as both men spun around quickly.

Deirdre had fallen to the ground in a fit, thrashing and convulsing wildly. A pale white light emanated from her body. Richie and Romelle had already dropped to her side by the time Lance and Sven had sprinted to her.

"What the hell?" Richie yelled. "Deirdre!" He grabbed her arms in a vain attempt to hold her still. "Get her feet!" he ordered.

Lance crouched down and tried to grab her legs only to be rewarded with a swift kick to the chest. He cried out in pain as he stumbled back. Regaining his balance, he launched himself at her again, this time landing a firm grasp on her ankles. He felt his muscles straining as he fought to keep control.

"What's happening to her?" he yelled just to be heard over the loud hum.

Sven looked up at the lion then back at Deirdre. "Lance! It's the lion!"

Lance followed his gaze to the lion. Where it had been resting before, it's dark eyes were now lit up with a bright green aura that nearly matched the white light coming from Deirdre. He understood, somewhat, that the lion and Deirdre were having some kind of affect on each other, and he got a sinking feeling that it wasn't a good one. "We have to get her out of here!"

Without hesitation, Richie scooped her flailing body up in his massive arms and looked to Lance for direction. "Come on!" Lance yelled. He turned and sprinted to the far side of the cavern just behind the lion to a steel door with a coded entrance. He punched the correct symbols into the keypad and waited for what seemed like an eternity as the large metal door moved to the side revealing yet another dark passageway. He stood aside to let Richie, Romelle, and Sven through before following and immediately pressing the lock button on the other side. The heavy door slid shut.

Once the door had closed, the only sound in the tunnel was the heavy breathing of the party. The humming had stopped and Deirdre had passed out laying limply in Richie's arms. Whatever they had started by entering the lion's chamber was over. Lance leaned heavily against the steel door and let out a slow breath. The peace was only momentary however.

"What the hell just happened?" Richie demanded, still clutching Deirdre to him.

"I have no idea." admitted Lance. "I've never seen anything like that before." He pushed himself away from the door and went to Richie. He gazed down at the still Deirdre and pushed a piece of blond hair out of her face. She seemed to be resting peacefully now breathing steadily. For whatever good that did.

"Do you think it could be the spell?" Romelle wondered out loud.

Silence fell among them again as each contemplated the thought. Lance was nowhere close to an answer. "We have to get Deirdre to Dr. Gorma and regroup with the others. The underground bunkers aren't far from here. Let's get going."

The mood was heavy as they gathered themselves together to finish their trek to find their teammates. Deirdre's life now hung precariously in the balance, and they still had to wonder whether Hunk had made it off the Inferno with Keith and Allura.

* * *

><p>The waiting area just outside of Sky Marshal Wade's office also carried a heavy somber feeling. The commanders of the Vehicle Voltron Force waited anxiously, not knowing why they had suddenly been summoned by Wade for a meeting. An agitated Jeff paced restlessly across the floor. Only a week earlier, without explanation, Wade had put them all on leave without even as the Drules had become more active in the nearby galaxies. What could he possibly want with them now? He wished that Commander Hawkins was there to give his counsel.<p>

"Why the hell is he making us wait? What does he want?" he growled, half tempted to punch a hole in the wall – if only to make himself feel better.

Cliff leaned thoughtfully against the wooden paneled wall. In contrast to his hot-headed teammate, Cliff spoke in a decidedly calmer voice. "Perhaps it has something to do with the incident at the bar with Hunk. Then your ship inexplicably being 'stolen.'"

Jeff shook his head. "No, they finished the inquiry into that. They decided that I was not a fault. Hunk sucker punched me when I tried to arrest him, then stole my ignition key. That file has been closed."

Krik, who had been sitting in the corner absorbed in a book that he had brought with him, looked up suddenly to meet Cliff's gaze. While Jeff had not admitted it to them himself – knowing that they could plead ignorance later – the entire team knew that Jeff had let Hunk knock him down, and more than likely, it was Jeff who had slipped his key into Hunk's pocket. It mattered little that he had not told them, they would have stood up and lied through their teeth for the Commander's actions. Mostly because any one of them would have done the same thing.

Before there was any more mention of the incident, the door leading to Wade's office opened and the Sky Marshal stuck his head out.

"Gentlemen, please come in."

Wade's office – which incidentally was previously General Graham's office – had been made over to suit the Sky Marshal's sensibilities. Where the General had opted for a more traditional dark paneled study feel with the walls lined with books and pictures, the office was now a stark gray color giving it a more sterile feeling. The large oak desk that Graham had occupied was replaced by a sleek metal model that Wade now stood behind. He gazed hard at the three commanders standing at attention before him.

"I have just received some disturbing news. Zeppo and Lotor have invaded Arus and taken control of the Castle of Lions."

Cliff and Krik both gasped out loud, clearly rocked by the news.

Jeff stared straight ahead. Of, course he had already discovered that information through less than scrupulous – not to mention illegal – means. As before, he had declined to fill the rest of the team in on the news as a means of protecting them from the fallout should he be found out.

"I have also learned that Lotor's flagship, the Inferno has been destroyed. There is a good chance that Commander Kogane, Lieutenant McClain, and Princess Allura may have been on board. With this information," Wade continued, "we have to assume that the Drules also have control of Voltron. Now, I don't have to tell you what that means for the nearby galaxies." He paused to gage their reactions. Jeff seemed the only one not entirely disturbed by the news. "I am sending a fleet to neutralize the Drules on Arus, and I am reinstated the Vehicle Voltron Force. I will be taking General Hawkins place at the helm of the Explorer."

Jeff stiffened. The last thing he needed was for Wade to be breathing down his neck. Hawkins had always been excellent at letting Jeff lead the team even while his methods were unorthodox. But Jeff knew Wade to be a man who preferred to be in control. "Do we have definitive evidence that the members of the Lion Voltron Force are deceased, Sir?"

The question seemed made Wade's back straighten. "We have no evidence that they are alive, Commander."

Jeff nodded. "Orders, Sir?"

Wade narrowed his eyes at them. "Obviously, we cannot let the Drules to remain in control of Voltron. Without the true ruler of Arus to keep Voltron reigned in, Voltron will be a constant threat of falling into the wrong hands. Our mission, gentlemen, is to keep that from happening. Our mission is to destroy Voltron."


	19. Chapter 19

**Not much to say this go round except thanks to all of you who are still following along. I hope it stays interesting. Enjoy! Don't forget to Review. It helps keep me on track. :)**

Allura stirred and blinked several times as she struggled to work her way out of the anxiety-ridden sleep to which she had fallen prey. She winced as she sat up straight, peeling her face from the top of the desk in her quarters. Aside from the desk, the only other furniture in the sparsely decorated room was a full sized bed and a small chest of drawers by the door. She sighed as she rubbed her cheek to alleviate the numbness that had settle there. How long had she been asleep? The last thing she remembered was thumbing through the schematics of the tunnels that ran just underneath the Castle of Lions before exhaustion overtook her. With Keith in sick bay, Lance MIA, and Voltron completely unavailable, Allura felt lost. She had no idea how she was going to defeat Lotor and take back her castle.

She glanced at the clock on the desk. Keith had finally come to nearly four hours earlier, but she had yet to see him. It seemed that Keith had asked Dr. Gorma not to allow any visitors to his room, but offered no explanation. Even Hunk and Pidge had been denied entrance. Allura couldn't help but wonder what his reasoning could be. Was he angry with her for being caught by Lotor? Perhaps he blamed her for Deirdre's still unknown fate. She sighed and stood up, still feeling the effects of falling asleep hunched over the desk ripple through her body. She needed to speak with him.

She walked into the washroom and splashed some water on her face. Glancing up at the mirror above the sink, she almost didn't recognize the woman staring back at her. She had gathered her tangled hair into a loose knot on top of her head. The hot water had brought a bit of color to her face, but her eyes looked as tired and worn as she felt. At least she had been able to bathe and change clothes. Even the ugly brown tunic belted over matching pants was a welcome change from the blood stained medical garments that she had arrived in.

A knock at the door gave her attention glorious relief.

"Come in." she called.

Pidge stuck his head in the door. "Princess, I thought you'd want to know that Lance is back. He's in the medical bay."

Without a sound, she sprinted past him and down the corridor. She found Lance, Sven, Romelle, and Richie waiting anxiously in the corridor just outside of sickbay. She stopped short, shocked by the presence of the others.

"A story for another time, Allura." Lance remarked before she could question them.

All the princess could so was nod. "And Deirdre?"

Lance rubbed his eyes, and Allura decided that he looked just as worn as she did. She listened intently as Lance relayed the story about Deirdre's brainwashing, their escape from the Inferno, and the incident with Green Lion. "Dr. Gorma is running some tests on her now." He watched her closely for a moment. "What about Keith?" he asked, struck by the sudden sadness that fell across her face.

He was also surprised when Hunk stepped forward to answer. "He's been awake for a few hours, but he won't see anyone." He paused briefly. "He's totally shut down, Lance."

Lance silently looked at each of them in turn, and while he generally made no bones about sharing what he was thinking, at that moment Allura found it nearly impossible to read his thoughts. She was even more confounded when he turned suddenly and marched through the main entrance doors of sickbay and disappeared down the corridor that led to Keith's room.

* * *

><p>Two hundred and thirteen tiles covered the ceiling in Keith's room. He had counted them twice. Of course, being bedridden with a barrage of tubes and wires covering most of his body, he had little to do but stare at the ceiling. The first hour after he had finally woken up had consisted of a battery of physical exams and psychological questions administered by Dr. Gorma. He had surprised the good doctor by acing each one. In fact, once the grogginess wore off, he had felt just fine. It was the second hour of being awake, however, that allowed reality to settle into his consciousness. It was at that time that memories of recent events began to crowd his thoughts, and the self-loathing threatened to swallow his sanity whole.<p>

He actually remembered very little, if anything, about getting off of the Inferno. Dr. Gorma had filled in what gaps that he had been made privy to. Hunk had evacuated both Keith and Allura before the ship had been blown to bits, and they had somehow made it back to the bunkers underneath the castle. According to Dr. Gorma, the last Hunk and Allura had seen of Lance was when he had left them to find Deirdre. Their whereabouts were still unknown. His team had done their jobs. And done them well. It was his own actions that he began to scrutinize as he lay helpless in bed.

Because of his reckless behavior, his team had been splintered and forced to correct his mistakes. And they had suffered for it. And while he still had no idea of the fates of Lance and Dierdre, he had witnessed firsthand how Allura had suffered at the hands of Lotor. That image kept pushing itself to the forefront of his thoughts. Whether he squeezed his eyes shut or stared ahead until they watered, the image was there, and every time it crossed his memory, he cringed to the point that it caused physical pain.

After another hour and a half or so of battling the relentless visuals in his head, he decided that the only way to keep himself from completely cracking was to keep his mind occupied. Meditation had helped to a degree, but soon he found himself lost in counting the tiles on the ceiling. It was a mundane task, but it allowed his brain to work on something tangible rather than focusing on thoughts of which he had no control.

He had just started counting again when the door opened with a bang and Lance strolled in as if he was reporting for his next patrol shift. He stopped just at the foot of the bed. The two men stared at each other for a moment, and Keith was at a loss for anything to say to him.

"Well?" Lance asked impatiently. "Aren't you gonna say something?"

"You're back." was all that Keith could manage.

Lance snorted. "That's it? Jesus, Keith, I would think that I would warrant a better homecoming than that."

"Yeah, well, in case you hadn't noticed, I've kinda been out of it." He winced as he slowly moved himself to a seated position. He truly was relieved that his second in command had made it back in one piece, but he was not really in the mood to stroke Lance's insatiable ego. "Dierdre? Hunk said that you went back for her."

The expression that Lance gave him told him that things had not gone according to plan. Of course, nothing had done so since they had left Arus not so long ago with Lotor still in custody. But the look in his eyes told Keith that it was bad. He sighed. Just one more thing to add to his list of recent failures. "What happened?" he finally asked softly.

Unfortunately for Keith, Lance was not in the mood to tell the story again at that moment. Instead, he frowned deeply and crossed his arms. "Don't worry about Deirdre right now. Hunk and Allura said that you gave Gorma orders that you would not be see anyone. What's up with that?"

Completely out of character, Keith broke his eye contact with Lance and looked away. How could he possibly explain? "I just needed some time alone." Then suddenly he looked up again, indignant. "Is that too much to ask from people?"

Lance raised an eyebrow. "Of the people who care about you the most? I would say, yes, it is. Listen to me, Keith, I know that you've been through a lot the past couple of days..."

"You have no idea..." Keith began, but Lance plowed ahead.

"We've all been through some tough shit lately, Keith, but we need you now. We need you to step up and be our leader..."

Keith shook his head. "I can't."

"The hell you can't!" Lance was visibly angry now. "You..."

"You didn't see what he did to her, Lance!" Keith finally exploded.

Lance immediately fell silent as he watched Keith crumbling in front of him, and he begin to get the feeling that there was more to what happened on the Inferno that he was led to believe. "What are you talking about?"

Keith dropped his gaze to this hands in front of him. "Allura."

Lance cocked his head to the side. He had just left Allura, and she had seemed fine to him. Other than a couple of bumps and bruises, she was no worse for wear. "Keith, I know that things got a little hairy up there. But come on, bro, we all made it back alive." He suddenly felt a great deal of empathy for his commander. He knew first hand how much the command role could take out of a person. His tone softened a bit. "Listen, I know you've been under a lot of stress lately. Maybe I can help. Tell me what's bothering you."

They sat in silence for a moment, and Lance knew that Keith was contemplating the request. The commander was a normally reserved about his own problems except in the case of extreme circumstances, in which cases Lance was usually the one that he confided in. "They made me watch." Keith never met his gaze.

"Watch what?"

"Lotor...and Allura." Keith finally admitted. It was the first time he had spoken about it since the actual event had occurred.

"What?" Lance's blood ran cold. Keith didn't really need to elaborate for Lance to get his meaning. The thought of their Allura in the hands of Lotor made him feel ill.

Keith swallowed. "I watched the bastard...tear off her clothes...force her to the bed...howling her name like a fucking dog in heat..." his voice trailed off as the lump in his throat tighten so much that he found it difficult to speak. "Allura." was all he could manage to whisper.

* * *

><p>Allura found herself walking very slowly down the corridor towards Keith's med quarters. It had only been minutes since Lance had gone to see him, but the princess decided that she could no longer sit idly by and watch everyone else taking care of her team. She had to speak with Keith. They sorely needed to clear the air so that they could get back to business as usual – that is, kicking Lotor out of her castle and off of Arus for good. Whether he wanted to see her or not meant very little to her at the moment. He would talk to her. She would make sure of that.<p>

Voices coming from within the room made her slow to a stop just outside. She wondered if it would be more inappropriate to barge in on them or to stand outside and eavesdrop until a proper pause in the conversation presented itself.

"They made me watch." Keith was saying.

"Watch what?"

Allura listened in horror as Keith recounted what had happened during his time on the Inferno. They had made him watch as Lotor had his way with Deirdre. Tears pricked her eyes as he spoke. But nothing could have prepared her for what she heard next.

"...howling her name like a fucking dog in heat...Allura."

She suddenly felt very ill as realization settled in her stomach like she had swallowed a handful of nails. He thought it had been her. Keith had watched and the whole time he had been convinced that it had been Allura with Lotor. Without any hesitation, she burst through the door, ignoring the shocked faces of Keith and Lance.

"Keith." she breathed, finding it very difficult to speak. She breezed past Lance as though he were not even there to take a seat in the chair next to Keith's bed. She was convinced that her heart was breaking as he turned away from her, unable to even look her in the eye. But she would not be deterred. He had to know the truth. She wanted to reach out to him, grab him and tell him that she was alright. "Keith, please look at me."

When he finally met her gaze, she saw nothing but sorrow and regret in his black eyes. And while he kept his expression stoic, she could tell that he had been crying.

"I'm sorry, Allura." he finally said. "I'm sorry that I didn't keep my promise to protect you."

Allura brushed a piece of hair from his forehead before taking his face gently in her hands. "Oh Keith, you have nothing to be sorry for."

"But Lotor..."

"Keith, I'm fine. Lotor never touched me."

He blinked several times, obviously trying to understand what she was telling him. "But I saw..."

Allura did nothing to conceal the tears that fell freely. "It wasn't me, Keith."

"But who?"

Suddenly Allura was unsure how to proceed. How could she possibly tell them...? She took a deep breath, then looked away from Keith to meet the gaze of Red Lion's pilot. She swallowed hard. "Deirdre. She convinced Lotor to take her instead of me."

The air seemed to be sucked out of his lungs like he had been punched in the gut as Lance stood, unmoving, staring at the princess. The horrible truth began to form in his mind as the pieces finally fell into place. The blond hair...the blue eyes...Lotor had used magic to give Deirdre the appearance of the princess so that he could do with her as he pleased. The walls felt as if they were closing in on him. He had to get out. Without a word, he turned on his heel and retreated into the corridor.

"Lance!" Allura tried to follow him, but was stopped when Keith took her hand in his own. "I have to..."

"Let him go, Allura." Keith said softly.

"But he needs..."

"He needs to process everything."

The princess slumped back into the chair. When she spoke, her voice was barely a whisper. "He blames me, doesn't he?"

Keith found himself leaning closer to her. Keeping his hand on hers, he reached with the other to wipe a tear from her cheek. "He's not blaming anyone right now. He has to come to terms with what has happened. Of course he is happy that you were not hurt by Lotor, but Deirdre... well, he's going to have to figure out a way to cope with the fact that she was the one who was violated in your place. Trust me, it's not something that is easily reconciled. He's going to be blaming a lot of people. Lotor, probably me a little bit, himself, but I doubt that you are going to be at the top of that list."

Silence fell around them. Allura watched him for a moment, then she noticed that he still held her hand in his own. It was a small gesture, but one that somehow made her heart a little lighter. But his expression held such a deep sadness that made her acutely aware that, like Lance, he had not fully processed the recent events. Deirdre was his friend, and at one time been more than that. Of course he was hurting for her, even as he was pleased that it had not been Allura.

The princess felt a sudden surge of guilt as she looked at his ashen face. His dark eyes seemed incredibly tired and the purple circles beneath them only accentuated the point. After everything that he had been through, how could she possibly burden him with her own troubles. And yet, here he sat giving her the encouragement that she sorely needed. "I'm sorry, Keith." said as she reluctantly disengaged herself from his hand. "You need your rest. And I need to come up with a plan to kick Lotor's butt out of my castle."

Despite his exhaustion, Keith treated her to a small smile. "That's the princess that I know. I don't know how much help I'll be while I'm laid up, but I'll be here if you need me."

Those words made her heart soar. After all of the misgivings and disagreements recently, knowing that he would be there for her no matter what gave her the confidence to carry on...no matter what. She returned his smile with her own and nodded. "Thank you, Keith. Now, get some rest. We're going to need you at your best when we get Voltron back up and running."

"Yes, ma'am." he said, giving her a snappy salute before realizing that his shoulder still had a big hole in it courtesy of Lotor.

With a renewed sense of purpose, Allura turned and left the commander alone.

* * *

><p>Lance stood over Deirdre's still body listening to the steady blips and beeps of the machines that kept watch over her like a mechanical sentinel keeping records of the vital signs. Allura's confession to Keith had washed over him like a scalding pot of water had been tossed in his face. He reached out to finger a swatch of blond hair splayed across the pillow. How could he not have realized? The blond hair. The blue eyes. Hagar had used her damnable magic to make Deirdre look like Allura for Lotor's amusement. He felt the rage bubbling up, turning his insides into a flaming hot inferno. This was absolutely the final straw. There would not be a person alive who could keep him from destroying Lotor when Lance finally got his hands on him.<p>

He was jerked from his musings when the door opened and Dr. Gorma, followed by Allura, Hunk, and Pidge walked in looking less than optimistic.

"Lieutenant," the doctor began.

Lance swallowed hard, almost afraid to hear what the doctor had to say.

Gorma continued, "I have run an extensive battery of tests, and I have found little to tell me what is wrong with your friend. Her vitals are normal and I can find nothing physically wrong with her. Honestly, I cannot find any reason why she should still be unconscious." He paused and glanced around the group to make sure everyone was following along. "However, the internal scans did pick up an anomaly."

When Lance declined to respond, Allura stepped forward. "What kind of anomaly, Dr. Gorma?"

The doctor produced a small pad from his pocket. It responded when he pushed a few buttons and revealed Deirdre's skeletal structure on its screen. "There," he said pointing to the place just below her neck.

Hunk moved closer to get a better look. "What is it?"

Gorma shrugged. "It appears to be a parasite that has attached itself to her brain stem at the base of her neck. It's pumping some sort of substance directly into her brain. But I have never seen anything like it before, so I could only hazard to guess what it might be."

The news that they were making progress on diagnosing Deirdre snapped Lance out of his stupor somewhat. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Is there a possibility that the substance might make her susceptible to mind control?"

Gorma nodded. "It's possible. But no way to know for sure without more tests."

"Is there anyway to remove the parasite?" Allura asked.

"The only way would be to surgically remove it. That would be highly dangerous. There would be a more than overwhelming chance that she would suffer some sort of brain damage with forcible removal."

"So, what the hell are we suppose to do?" Lance ground through his teeth. Allura placed a hand on his arm to calm him. "We either leave her under Lotor's control, or we make her a vegetable."

Gorma nodded grimly.

Pidge, who had been leaning quietly against the wall by the door, suddenly spoke. "There may another option." He took a deep breath and Lance could tell that he was reluctant to even continue. Pidge pushed himself away from the wall and walked to Dr. Gorma. "What if we could get the parasite to disengage on its own?"

Dr. Gorma was thoughtful for a moment before nodding. "It would eliminate the need for evasive surgery which would drop raise the risk."

"And how the hell are you going to get it leave on its own? Pack it a lunch and ask it nicely to hit the road?" Lance's frustration was beginning to surface more and more.

Pidge and Gorma exchange a strange glance that made Lance furrow his brow. The doctor ran a hand through his salt and pepper hair. "There may be a way. Parasites by nature depend on their host to survive. It's likely that it will leave if its source is cut off."

"How?" Allura ask in a shaky voice.

Pidge took another deep breath. "By stopping Deirdre's brain function."

Silence hung heavy in the air. No one wanted to move the conversation any further. They simply stood, looking at each other, hoping that someone would say something.

Finally, Hunk broke the silence. "I'm not a doctor, but doesn't that mean that she would be..."

Dr. Gorma nodded. "Yes, for all intents and purposes, Deirdre would be deceased."

"NO! NO WAY!" Lance boomed when he finally found his voice.

"Now hold on, Lieutenant," Gorma continued, "in a controlled setting such as our medical bay, we could stop her heart and brain function for a few moments and still bring her back with minimal side effects to her physically."

Hunk breathed heavy, trying to absorb all the information. "You're serious about this shit. You really think that is the only way to get this thing out of her."

"There may be other ways," the doctor said, "but that would mean extensive research on this particular organism. We don't know what kind of damage it's done already. To wait might be detrimental to Deirdre." He turned suddenly to look at Lance. "You're in command now, Lieutenant. It's your call."

Lance's head was spinning. How the hell was he suppose to make that call? Desperately, he focused on Allura standing next to him. She was use to making these kinds of life and death decisions.

But his disappointment, she shook her head. "You know her better than anyone, Lance. What do you think she would want?"

His mouth suddenly went dry and he had the overwhelming urge to bolt from the room. They were all watching him, waiting for him to make a decision. "I...um...I need to think." was all he could manage at that moment.

Gorma gazed at him sympathetically. "I know that this is a difficult decision, son. But time is of the essence. So I'll need an answer soon." With that, he turned softly and left the room.

When the silence became unbearable, Hunk finally spoke. "What are you going to do, Lance?"

Feeling his head spinning, Lance turned from his friends, unable to look them in the eye. "I don't know, Hunk. I just don't know."


	20. Chapter 20

**Well, this chapter came along quickly. It was actually already written in my head, but just needed some tweaks. Things are pretty intense on Arus right now, but fear not, for it is always darkest before the dawn. **

**I've got to give a quick thanks to all of the lovely souls who keep supporting me and pushing me to keep going. You know who you are and are very much appreciated. **

**Enough talk, now, enjoy! Don't forget the reviews. I really need the feedback. Thanks!**

Lance stood alone in the large area that served as the control room beneath the Castle of Lions. He stared up at the cylindrical glass casing that ran from somewhere beneath them, deep from within the planet itself, up through the granite ceiling into the castle's mainframe. He had chosen that spot because he knew that he would be alone. Pidge had been working tirelessly trying to get the mainframe back on-line, but even he needed a break. Lance just needed to think without interruption. Whenever Keith found himself with a dilemma, he often would retreat to some place quiet to center his thoughts. It wasn't working for Lance however because he found that the absolute silence was more distracting than anything else.

Silent footsteps behind him made him turn. Coran stopped a few feet from him, unsure whether he was welcome. Lance's only response was to turn back to his previous position. Coran took it as a sign that his presence was received. He moved to stand next to Lance, following the younger man's gaze into the center of the castle's mainframe.

"It sleeps." Coran said, quietly.

"What?"

Coran nodded toward the dark cylinder. "This is the heart of the Castle of Lions. An energy source deep from within the planet's core feeds the castle and the lions."

"Why is it dark now?"

"Hagar's magic has blocked the flow of energy to the castle."

Lance sighed. As if he didn't have enough on his plate already. "So, how do we unblock the energy and wake up Voltron?"

Coran shrugged. "We know next to nothing about the substance that powers the castle. Alfor and his scientists were the ones who learned of its existence and how to harness it's power. Unfortunately, that knowledge died along with him. Almost all records of his findings were destroyed during the first invasion."

"Great." Lance grumbled.

The advisor watched him for a moment. "But I have a feeling that the castle is not at the forefront of your thoughts right now."

Lance dropped his gaze, a sudden bout of guilt washing over him. Of course the castle and Voltron should be his top priority, but the fact of the matter was that it was not. When he glanced back up at the older man, he saw no anger or shame coming from him. Only compassion and empathy.

"You want to know how to save your friend." Coran said, matter of factly.

"Yes." Lance replied softly. "I just don't know what to do."

Coran nodded. "What do you think she would do if the situation was reversed?"

"Oh, there's no question about that." Lance gave a small laugh. "She'd kill me off. She's been wanting to do that for years."

Coran allowed a small smile at Lance's attempt to lighten the situation, but he remained silent. Lance was going to have to come to terms with it himself. He knew he was right when the pilot's face fell again.

"And because she knows that I would rather be dead than to be a slave. Especially to the likes of Lotor." He could not control the animosity that rang out as he said the bastard's name.

"Then I think you have your answer, Lance."

Lance nodded. He had known all along what the answer was. He just needed to admit it out loud. "God, Keith makes this leader shit look so easy." He ran a hand through his hair. "Maybe I'm just not command material."

Coran rested a hand on his shoulder. "There is no blueprint to being a good leader, Lance. No two people tackle it the same way. You are not Keith. You are Lance, and you do things the Lance way. However unorthodox that may be. We are still here because of you. We are alive and able to fight because of decisions that you have made." He paused to allow his words to sink in. "You must stop comparing yourself to Keith. He has faith that you will be successful or he never would have chosen you to be his right hand. The rest of us have faith in your command as well. Now all you need to do is find that faith in yourself."

With those words, Coran turned and left Lance alone again.

"Are you out of your fucking mind?" Richie bellowed from where he stood in the doorway of Keith's medical quarters.

Lance had called them all together to inform them of his decision. He looked around the room at each of them. Allura sat in the chair next to Keith's bed. Pidge and Hunk were on the other side. Romelle and Sven stood side by side at the foot of the bed.

Taking a deep breath, mostly to keep himself from throttling Richie, Lance pushed forward. "I have made my decision, but I have called you all here to get your input."

"I'll give you my input..." Richie started, but was interrupted when Keith spoke up.

"What exactly does the procedure entail, Lance?"

Grateful for Keith's interruption, Lance glanced at Pidge. "He knows more about the particulars than I do."

Pidge cleared his throat loudly, clearly uncomfortable being put on the spot. "Dr. Gorma will administer a drug that will slow her heart beat. A quick shock after that will stop it completely. Once the blood flow to the brain stops, her brain function will cease. Once brain death occurs, the parasite should disengage and die."

"Should?" Now it was Sven who spoke up. While he had not been as vocal as Richie, Lance knew that his friend had reservations.

Pidge nodded. "A parasite cannot survive without it's host. If it's life support is cut off, it will die." He paused and took a breath. "Once that happens, Dr. Gorma will shock Deirdre's heart again, and give her adrenaline to get her blood pumping again."

"What are some possible side effects?" Keith asked.

"You mean other than her dying?" Richie bit out.

This time Lance was about to go for him, but Sven's firm grip on his arm stopped him. He would have to deal with that ass later.

"If she is under too long, lack of oxygen to the brain could cause some cerebral damage." Pidge said.

"This is insanity." Richie huffed. "Why not just wait until we can figure out what that thing is?"

Lance walked to him and looked up. "We don't know what kind of damage that thing is doing to her already. The longer it stays, the more permanent the damage may become. It could eventually kill her anyway." He turned back to his team. "Now, if anyone else has any reservations, then I will be happy to hear them now. If not, my decision stands and we move forward with this."

Silence was his answer. He glanced back up at Richie. "Anything, Vanderlough?" Richie shook his head. "Good, I'll go tell Dr. Gorma." He moved to leave but was stopped by Richie.

"If anything goes wrong, McClain, I will break your neck." There was no sarcasm or any hint of a joke in the bigger man's voice.

Lance was undeterred however. He stared the bigger man down. "If anything goes wrong, Richie, I give you my permission to do so."

Richie blinked then narrowed his eyes as if he was seeing Lance for the first time. Something in his expression told Lance that Richie knew that he had not made this decision lightly, and that Lance would do whatever it took to bring Deirdre back to them. He released Lance's arm, nodded silently, and stepped out of the way.

Before Lance could get into the corridor, a number of hurried footsteps could be heard in the hall.

"Lieutenant!" a young man whom Lance recognized as one of the castle guards called breathlessly. "There's been a security breach, sir. The woman in the other med bay has escaped."

"What the hell happened?"

"We're still not entirely sure, Sir. Nanny went in to change her bedding. She was still sleeping. The next thing we knew she had taken Nanny at knife point."

Allura was on her feet and heading toward the door. "Nanny! She took Nanny?"

The young guard nodded.

Lance made a conscious effort to keep his breath steady while his heart raced a mile a minute. "Where are they now?"

"Last anyone saw, they were heading toward the south entrance." He paused to wait for Lance's orders. "Should we send some guards after him, Sir?"

He shook his head. "No! Deirdre has one objective, and she will kill anyone who gets in her way. Let us handle this, but keep your men on standby."

"Yes, Sir." the young man said before leaving to inform his men.

"Lance," Allura's voice was shaking, "she's got Nanny. What are we going to do?"

Lance put his hands on her shoulders. "Breathe, Allura. We are going to find them." He took a quick count of the concerned faces in the room before making his decision. "Hunk and Richie, you're with me. With luck, maybe one of us can get through to her and talk her down off the ledge. Everyone else stay put."

"I'm going too." Allura interjected, staring at Lance hard as if she was daring him to object.

But he only nodded. "Alright."

Keith cleared his throat. "Lance, I don't think she should..."

But Lance cut him off. "Have you been cleared for duty, Keith?"

"No."

"Then keep quiet. Okay, Allura, Hunk, Richie and I will go after Deirdre. The rest of you stay here with Keith. If something happens to us, you will be our last line of defense. Everyone got that?" There was a sea of nodding heads. "Okay, let's go."

Hunk caught his arm as they left Keith's room. "Lance, what are we going to do when we find her?"

Lance took a deep breath. "If Deirdre gets out of the compound and back to Lotor, we're all dead." He paused, not wanting to utter the next words. He looked at each one of them hard before he continued. "Do what you have to do to eliminate the threat."

The silence was profound as they contemplated their leader's orders. Allura watched him closely and saw something in his expression that was vaguely familiar. It was the same look that veiled Keith's face when he was in full command mode. She knew that Lance had been loathe to accept such responsibility, but now he stood before her in complete control. As any great leader would do, he was willing to do whatever he had to do to keep them from Lotor's clutches.

"Let's go."

The Explorer glided effortlessly through the silence of space. Wade and the Vehicle Voltron Force had been Arus bound for twenty-six hours and were still quite a ways from their destination. The leader of the Voltron Force stood in the dark of his quarters staring out into the starry blanket surrounding him. No matter how many times he took to the air, it never ceased to amaze him how overwhelmed he felt by the incredible nature of space. Outside the protection of the ship was nothing. No gravity, no air, and no sound. It offered such peace and promise, then become a place of unspeakable horror. He had witnessed it himself. Jeff wondered if he would ever be able to fly into space without its majesty being tarnished by war.

His thoughts were interrupted by a soft hand tracing its fingers up his bare back. He allowed himself a small smile as a pair of arms wrapped around his chest. "Can't sleep?" Lisa asked, resting her cheek against his back.

"You know I have trouble sleeping in transit." he replied.

"Mm..." she sighed, snuggling closer to him. "What's on your mind?"

He continued to stare into space silently. He wondered if he should burden Lisa with the truth of his suspicions. But as it turned out, he didn't need to.

"You're worried about the mission. Aren't you?" she spoke against his back.

Jeff turned around in her arms to face her. "I don't know that I completely trust Wade."

"Well, if it's true that Voltron is under the control of the Drules and Keith and the princess missing..."

He shook his head. "There's more to it than that. Wade has always been ambitious but I think his judgment has been clouded lately."

"How do you mean?"

"I think that he has become power hungry." He paused. "Vehicle Voltron was created not only as a defense for the near galaxies, but also because Galaxy Garrison didn't want Arus to be the sole keeper of the most powerful entity in the universe. We also serve as a system of checks and balances of power. And Lion Voltron does the same for us."

Lisa nodded. "So, if Lion Voltron is destroyed, that system would crumble and there would be no stopping Wade from using our Voltron for his own end. But, Jeff, what if Lotor does control Voltron? There's no way that we can let him wield that kind of power."

Jeff let out a slow breath. "I know that."

"What are you going to do?"

He shrugged. "I don't know yet. But I do know that I am not going to write off Keith just yet. If he is alive and there is any possible way, he will find a way to keep Voltron out of Lotor's hands."

Lance gripped his gun, feeling the cold metal in his palm. It was only a stun gun, and it lacked the certain comport that his pistol afforded him when he wielded it. He hoped it would be enough to stop Deirdre if the need arose to use it, but to stay on the side of caution, he tucked his pistol in the back of his belt and prayed that he would not have to use it.

They had made their way to the mouth of the corridor leading to the south entrance of the bunkers. It was the same tunnel they had used before when they had first arrived. It led to the Green Lion's lair. He stopped at the entrance and turned to his team. Hunk, Allura, and Richie watched him expectantly. "Before we do this, I just want to make sure that we all understand what is at stake here. And what we have to do. Nobody has to go in there if they don't want to." They all nodded solemnly. "Alright. Allura, you come with me. Hunk and Richie, you stay here in case she gets past us and doubles back. We all have our communicators. We'll let you know if we need you."

"You sure you can do this, McClain?" Richie asked. But Lance noted that there was neither sarcasm nor suspicion in his tone.

Lance nodded. "I'll do what I have to do. You make sure you do the same."

Richie received his message and nodded.

"Come on, Allura." Lance stepped into the dimly lit corridor with the princess at his heels. They walked in silence, listening intently for any sound that might lead them to Deirdre. They didn't have to wait long. They slowed their pace as they neared a turn in the tunnel, mentally preparing for what they might find around the corner.

"The door leading to Green's lair isn't far ahead." Lance whispered.

Allura nodded. "Only members of the Voltron Force can open that door. Deirdre will be trapped with nowhere to go."

"I know and that makes me nervous. Have you ever seen a wild animal when it's trapped? It is not pretty."

"Lance, do you think you will be able to get through to her once we find her?"

He shook his head. "I'm not really sure about anything right now, Allura. All I know is that she is intent on killing all of us and taking Voltron to Lotor."

"We can't let that happen, Lance."

He stopped short and looked at her. "I know."

Before she could respond, a noise not too far from them caught their attention. It was the sound of someone struggling.

"Open the damn door!" It was Deirdre.

Nanny's voice filtered through also. "I-I can't." she whimpered. "Only the Voltron Force can open it."

As Lance and Allura rounded the corner silently, they found Deirdre with a scalpel to Nanny's neck, struggling to get the heavy metal door open. Lance raised his weapon. "Deirdre, let her go."

Seeing them for the first time, Deirdre hauled Nanny in front of her for use as a shield. Lance and Allura stopped in their tracks. "One move and she's dead."

Lance stared into her eyes and could see clearly that she was not going to hesitater. She would slit Nanny's throat in a heartbeat if she felt threatened. A sickening feeling settled in his stomach. There would be no negotiating with her. The Deirdre that he knew was lost to him.

"Put your weapons down." she growled.

He glanced at Allura and nodded to her. Both slowly crouched and placed their guns on the ground. "What can we do to resolve this, Deirdre, without anyone getting hurt?"

To his surprise, she laughed. "That is not an option. You know that I have my orders, and I must follow them."

"Alright," he said. "I get that. But Nanny will not get you any closer to the end game. Let her go."

"So that you can take me back into custody? You're kidding, right?"

Then Allura spoke up. "If you want a hostage, take me instead." Lance gaped at her, ready to stop her from speaking further, but she pressed on. "I'm the one Lotor really wants. You know that. I can open that door and take you back to your master."

Deirdre seemed to be thinking over the proposition, but Lance was livid. "What the hell do you think you are doing?"

"NO!" Nanny screamed. "I will not allow this! Do what you want with me, but leave the Princess alone." she wailed.

"I know what I am doing, Lance." Allura said firmly. "Just be ready for my signal."

"What signal?"

"Alright." Deirdre said. "Come here, Princess."

With one last meaningful glance at Lance, Allura moved slowly with her hands raised toward Deirdre. When she was close enough, Deirdre shoved Nanny away from her while grabbing Allura by the arm. She spun the princess around to face Lance with the scalpel planted firmly at her neck.

Lance felt incredibly helpless as he watched Nanny crumble to the floor and Allura take her place. He had to believe that Allura knew what she was doing, so he no choice but to wait for her signal. Then it came. Allura's body suddenly went limp. She drooped forward and began to slide to the ground. Deirdre, unable to hold up the princess's sudden dead weight, let go. As Allura fell at her feet, Lance knew what he had to do. Without hesitation, he quickly drew his pistol from his back, aimed at the now sheildless Deirdre, and fired.

The scream echoed through the corridor while he watched in horror as the blast knocked her off her feet. It wasn't until he had reached her unmoving body that he realized that the scream was his own. He dropped beside her, cradling her head in his lap. "NO!"

Things seemed to move in slow motion as he watched the life drain out of his friend. Somewhere in the back of his skull, he could hear what was going on, but he could barely comprehend. Allura was yelling into her communicator, calling for help. Then there was footsteps. Then a pair of hands hauled him to feet. He was barely aware of any of it.

"Lance!" Someone was shouting at him, shaking him. "Lance! Snap out of it!" When his eyes finally focused, he saw Hunk's face. "Lance, stay with me, buddy."

"Hunk...Deirdre..." His mouth was incredibly dry, and he had trouble forming the words. "We-we have to get her to sick bay! NOW!"

Hunk nodded. "Richie's got her, Lance."

Lance looked around to see Richie scooping up Deirdre's limp body and sprinting down the corridor with Nanny and Allura close behind.

"Can you walk?" Hunk watched him with concern.

His only response was to push the large man out of his way and try to follow them, but he found that his legs were made of jelly and he nearly fell. Hunk yanked him up. "Come on, buddy. I got you."

With his only choice to allow Hunk to support him, Lance watched in helpless silence as Richie disappeared down the corridor.

By the time they reached the medical bay, Lance had found his own strength and was walking on his own. They found Richie, Romelle, and Pidge standing just outside the open door watching as Dr. Gorma and his assistants worked feverishly to resuscitate Deirdre. Without acknowledging any of them, Lance pushed his way into the room. A hand on his shoulder stopped him from going any further.

Just inside the door, Keith, supported by Sven stared at him with a grave expression. On the other side of Sven, Allura watched with tears in her eyes. The doctor and nurses buzzed around the bed where Deirdre lay unmoving, but Lance didn't hear them. The only sound in his head was the uninterrupted buzz of the heart monitor that she was hooked up to.

Dr. Gorma pulled out the chest paddles once again in an attempt to start her heart. The jolt pulsed through her body, nearly lifting her completely off the bed. He glanced at the monitor. There was no change. Only a single red flat line traveled across the monitor.

"Doctor?" one of the nurses questioned.

He shook his head. "Call it." he said quietly.

The room fell silent as they watched in horror while the nurse turned off the monitor. Dr. Gorma hung his head as he moved toward the door. He placed a sympathetic hand on Lance's shoulder. "I'm sorry. There's nothing more we can do."


	21. Chapter 21

**I would have gotten this chapter up sooner, but I was busy with my computer graphics final project. On the plus side, you all get to see the fruits of my labors (and a new chapter). Just check out the cover art for my story. Yes, I did it myself, and I am very proud of it. Okay, okay, I'm done patting myself on the back. Now it's your turn :) Please remember to review!**

The silence was palpable as the Voltron Force and their friends stood in shock. While the recent events had been a trial in themselves, the loss of one of their own reverberated through each one of them. Up until that moment, they had survived because they were together. They had felt untouchable, even immortal. Now that one of them was gone, the weight of their situation began to settle over them.

Allura wept openly, finding comfort on Hunk's strong shoulder. Romelle led a distraught Sven from the room, while Pidge tried to console a grieving Richie. Keith watched each of them. The team was hurting, and it broke his heart that he could not find a way to make things right. At the same time, he knew that they would survive. That they would find a way to pick up the pieces and move on. Everyone except Lance. He feared for Lance in the aftermath of Deirdre's death. His fears were confirmed when Lance let out a howl that sounded vaguely familiar to Keith's ears. It was the same wail that had not too long ago echoed through the corridor of Lotor's ship.

They watched in astonishment as the pilot of the Red Lion went to the wall and punched it soundly. "This-cannot-be-happening!" he yelled.

"Lance..." Keith said quietly, "there was nothing you could do."

"It's not fair! And it's not right!" Lance screamed at him. Tears streamed down his face and Keith could see the guilt and the sorrow tormenting his friend like an open wound that refused to heal.

Allura left Hunk's side to go to him. She gently laid a hand on his arm. "Lance, it wasn't your fault."

He jerked away from her harshly, and Keith suddenly wondered if he would need to step between them. Instead, before anyone could contemplate what he was doing, Lance hurled himself at the bed. He grabbed the chest paddles from beside the table and flipped the switch.

"I will not let you die on me!" he bellowed as he jammed the paddles to her chest.

Her body jerked upward then fell back to the bed with a thud. "Come on, Deirdre! Fight, goddammit!" He pushed the paddles down again.

"Lance!" Keith shouted at him, finally moving to his friend. He grabbed Lance from behind, pinning his arms to his side. In his weakened state, Keith had to call upon all of his strength to hold his flailing friend.

"Let go of me!" Lance howled. "This is my fault. I will not let her..."

"Stop it!" Allura screamed. Keith and Lance both stopped abruptly and stared at her. "Look!"

Both men turned to the bed. Deirdre's body began to twitch slightly. Her head jerked from one side of the pillow to the other. Her shoulders began to vibrate. Keith loosened his grip on Lance and moved to stand next to him. They watched, amazed, as a warm white light began at her throat, moved across her shoulders, and throughout her body.

Allura moved to stand next to Keith. "What is it?" she asked quietly.

He shook his head. "I have no idea."

Without warning, Deirdre sat straight up in bed, heaving as she took in a large gulp of air. The light appeared to be growing in strength, casting an eerie glow through the room. Then her eyes opened. But she wasn't looking at any of them. Her eyes were glazed over, completely white, staring straight ahead as if she were the only one in the room.

Allura cocked her head, a slight feeling of deja vu coming over her. Something about that light seemed familiar, but she couldn't quite place it.

Without regard for anyone else in the room, Deirdre swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up. Keith and Lance both instinctively jumped back.

"Deirdre?" Keith moved to intercept her, but stopped when Allura placed a hand on his arm.

"Wait, Keith. Let her go."

Keith and Lance stared at the princess as if she'd grown another head, but both backed up when Deirdre, as if in a deep state of hypnosis, walked past them and out of the room. She wandered the halls unseeing but knowing where she was going at the same time. The team followed with Allura in the lead, making sure they kept their distance. When they arrived in the main control room, Keith began to get nervous.

"We can't let her go in there." he stated, "If she's still under Lotor's control, she might be trying to destroy the mainframe."

Allura shook her head. "She's not." Her certainty made Keith pause.

"What makes you so sure?"

She shrugged. "I don't know, but I can feel it."

Lance caught up to Keith. "This whole thing is a little hinky if you ask me."

"Shh!" Allura hissed.

Deirdre moved to stand in front of the glass tube that moved from below the rock floor through the ceiling into the castle. She stood for a moment, seemingly contemplating what to do next. Then she raised her hands and placed her palms to the glass.

No one could really explain what happened next, but there was a sudden flash of blinding light that radiated from Deirdre, then traveled down her arms like it was alive. It moved to her hands, into her fingertips, then jumped from her into the glass containment unit.

A great rumble rocked the ground. Lance was thrown off balance and hit the ground hard. Keith snatched Allura and pulled her to him to steady her as they both struggled to stay on their feet. She clung to his chest as the shock wave vibrated throughout the cavern. Then they heard it. It started as a low rumbling sound. As it became louder, it became more familiar to their ears. It grew until five distinct yet harmonizing roars echoed shamelessly into the night.

"Keith," Allura breathed, looking up at him, "it's the lions! They're awake!"

Just a suddenly as it started, everything stopped. The roars faded, the ground vibrations ceased, and the white light emanating from Deirdre was gone, leaving her drained figure lying on the ground in a heap. But the power conduit within the glass remained lit.

"The castle is back on-line!" Pidge shouted hysterically. He was standing at the far end of the room where the computer console was lit up like a Christmas tree.

"What the hell happened?" Hunk bellowed from where he stood still clinging to the door frame.

"Deirdre!" Lance had managed to crawl to her and cradled her in his arms. "Keith! She's breathing! She's alive." He pulled her tightly to his chest. She began to struggle against him. He loosened his grip and she looked up at him.

"You're smothering me, you asshole!" she gasped, but made no move to get up. Instead, she laid her head back and closed her eyes.

Her insult only added to Lance's elation, and he laughed out loud. "I think she might be back to her old self, guys! Jesus Christ, Deirdre! I can't believe you're alive!"

Keith, still holding Allura in his arms – and surprisingly comfortable with that fact – smiled down at them. "You better get her back to the Med Bay. I think Gorma's definitely going to want to take a look at her. Hunk and Pidge, stay here and run any diagnostics you can think of to make sure this baby is up and running like she should. I want to make damn sure that this wasn't just a fluke."

"You got it, Boss!" Pidge nodded eagerly.

Hunk sauntered up next to where he still stood by the console. "You are way too excited about this, little buddy. We definitely need to get you out more."

Glancing down at Allura once more, Keith gazed into her shining eyes. He sighed and decided that the time to have a talk with the princess – _the talk – _was getting to be inevitable. However, now that the lions were up and running, there was a lot of planning that needed to be done first. So it would have to wait. But he silently promised her that they would make time in the near future. In the meantime, he reluctantly disengaged himself from her and turned to follow Lance, who had scooped Deirdre up in his arms, to the Med Bay.

In an open field only a few miles from the Castle of Lions, a Drule warship stood as a sentinel over the downed Blue Lion. Two platoons kept a vigil over the sleeping lion while tech crews worked tirelessly attempting to power it. Thus far, they had been unsuccessful. Gaining access to the cockpit had been simple enough. The Drule team had extracted the pilot without incident, but despite the fact that the lion was inoperable, the security system had held firm.

Commander Drogo growled audibly at his men as they stared up at the massive machine. "This is unacceptable!" he finally said. "There has got to be an override mechanism to this stupid thing."

His second, Major Ranulf, bristled next to him. "Well, the techs have not been able to find one, Sir. There is absolutely no power."

Drogo narrowed his eyes at him. "Is that what you would like me to report to Lotor?"

His subordinate shook his head. "Surely even Lotor understands that there are limitations to what we can accomplish under these circumstances."

"You apparently are not aware of how _the king_ rewards failure, Major. Regardless of the circumstances. If we're lucky, we may be able to prove our worth in the pits. If we're not, a swift execution is in our future."

The major shook his head. "Even if it's out of our hands? Even if there's nothing we can do about it?"

His response was muted when the ground began to shake beneath them. Them to their astonishment, the Blue Lion's eyes suddenly came to life shedding an eerie glow on them. Then, Blue reared to itself, gave out am earth shattering roar, and took the air. Even as the ground beneath their feet stopped shaking, Drogo and Ranulf watched in stunned silence as the lion powered up to full throttle, streaked across the sky, and disappeared.

Drogo looked at Ranulf who only stood staring with his mouth hanging open. "What just happened?"

The major shrugged. "I have no idea, Sir. But I'd say that we have a very big problem on our hands, Commander." He matched his commanding officer's gaze. How do we tell Lotor that we lost the Blue Lion?"

"What the hell was that?" Lotor bellowed barely two steps into Castle Control before the words left his mouth.

The Drule technicians buzzed about the brightly lit console trying to discern an answer for him. The commander jumped to attention when Lotor stormed into the room. "Your Highness, we don't know exactly what happened yet." he said timidly. "There was a sudden earthquake, and the computer inexplicably came to life. We have no idea what caused it."

Lotor rubbed his chin for a moment. "The reason it happened isn't really relevant right now, Commander. What I want to know is: can we activate the lions? Can we control Voltron?"

"We are looking into it, Sire. It will take some time to figure out how to open the hatch that leads to each of the lions. But it shouldn't take long now that the computer is up and running."

"Fine!" Lotor pouted. He had been hoping for a better report. "Get it done!"

"Um Sire?" Another young technician approached him hesitantly. "I have just received a message from our teams in the field. Apparently, the Blue Lion has powered up and flown away unmanned, Sire. The guard post in the castle turrets reported seeing the lion make a splashdown in the lake just outside of the castle. They have no further information, Your Majesty."

Lotor summoned every once of control to keep himself from breaking the man's neck. The tongue lashing that he was prepared to give fell short when someone behind him interrupted.

"Lotor."

He spun to face Hagar, who had once again used her insane powers to sneak up on him. "What?" he spat at her.

She seemed nonplussed at his attitude toward her. "I think we should move cautiously, Lotor. Something was able to reverse my spell on the castle. It could only have been magic. Powerful magic." She paused with her thoughts for a brief moment before she continued. "We should be careful."

Lotor huffed. "I am afraid of no magic, Witch. Yours or anyone else's. No one sleeps until those lions are mine!"

This time Hagar narrowed her red eyes at him, clearly irritated. "You are a fool, Lotor. And it will prove to be your downfall."

"You just worry about your orders, Hagar." he responded. "Have you prepared your new robeast?"

She nodded. "It is nearly complete."

"King Lotor," one of technicians called to him, "Emperor Zeppo is sending a communication, Sire."

Zeppo's image appeared on the large screen, glaring down at Lotor. His expression reminded Lotor of the way his father used to look at him with disapproval. It made Lotor hate him even more. "Yes, Emperor." he bit out through gritted teeth.

"I want a status update. Are you any closer to forming Voltron?"

Lotor dropped his gaze. "No progress, yet, Emperor. But we are working diligently, I assure you."

"Right." Zeppo replied. "Perhaps my superior technicians will have better luck. We will be entering the atmosphere within the hour."

"Yes, Eminence." Lotor bowed.

The image faded away and Lotor was left staring at a blank screen. "You lied to him, Lotor." Hagar observed.

"Soon it won't matter. Once we launch the robeast, we will crush Zeppo, and I will rule as Supreme Emperor of the Drule Empire!"

Everyone gathered again in the corridor just outside of the the medical bay. As expected, Gorma had been flabbergasted when Lance had arrived with a very much alive Deirdre. Now he and his staff hovered around her, checking all of her vitals and performing any and all tests that they could think to run.

"Man," Lance said, running a hand through his hair, "we've been spending way too much time here lately."

Keith nodded. "Agreed. So let's say that we're going to stop this trend before it gets to be a habit."

"So," Sven interjected, "now that the lions are awake, what's the plan?"

Keith rubbed his chin. "Hunk and Pidge are still running tests. They will be able to verify if the lions are operational and ready for flight. In the meantime, we need to start making plans. I want everyone in the conference room in ten minutes."

"Does that mean that you're taking your command back?" Lance asked.

Keith raised an eyebrow. "If that's alright with you, Lance."

To everyone's surprise, Lance rushed to Keith and pulled him into a bear hug. "YES! YES!" he crowed, grinning. "You can have it!"

Romelle laughed loudly. "Tired of command already, Lance?"

He nodded eagerly. "I want in on all of the action...without all the decision making."

Keith couldn't stop the grin from spreading across his lips. "Okay, then. Everyone get yourselves together and meet in ten minutes."

As the group dispersed, Allura stopped Keith from leaving. "Are you sure that Dr. Gorma is going to clear you for duty?"

She was surprised when he merely smirked at her and the familiar lightness that she felt when they were alone together returned.

"I'm not going to give him a choice." was his only response.

Twelve minutes later, Lance strolled with his old cocky stride into the the meeting room to face a see of irritated expressions. He stopped short. "What?"

Keith crossed his arms. "I said ten minutes Lance. Not fifteen."

Lance shrugged. "By my watch, it's only been twelve minutes, Fearless Leader." he responded, dropping into the seat between Romelle and Hunk. On the other side of Romelle, Sven, and Pidge watched him with disapproval while Allura, sitting between Hunk and Keith hid a knowing grin behind her hand. "Gimme a break, Keith. I was in the shower. I had to get all the grime off from, you know, when I was saving your ass." To make his point, he shook his wet hair, spraying droplets of water around the table.

"Alright, alright," Keith scowled, "we get it." He turned his attention to rest of the team. "Hunk and Pidge, report."

Pidge leaned forward in his chair, propping his elbows on the table. "The energy source to the castle seems to be stabilized. It looks like whatever Deirdre did to it brought it back on-line. At least for awhile."

"Long enough to get Voltron up and running?" Keith asked.

Pidge nodded. "I would say so."

"Speaking of Deirdre's heroics," Lance interjected, "what the hell did she do?"

Hunk shrugged. "That we have yet to figure out."

"We can worry about that later." Keith cut in to keep them on task. "Right now all that matters is that the lions have power."

"Hunk," Allura said, "how long do you think it will be before Lotor and Hagar figure out how to access the lions?"

The big man rubbed his chin. "Well, there are several security mechanisms in place that they will have to bypass to get to the access shoots. Pidge and I put them in place ourselves."

Pidge cleared his throat. "But even if they do get to the access points, they would still need the keys to operate the lions."

Keith nodded. "And we all still have our keys, right?"

Lance, Hunk, and Pidge nodded.

"Oh no," Allura breathed suddenly, "I don't know what happened to Blue Lion's key after Lotor's soldiers took me."

There was a brief silence as they contemplated the situation. Without the key, there was no Blue Lion. Without Blue Lion...no Voltron.

"There is a possibility that the key is still in the lion." Pidge offered. He glanced at Hunk. "Hunk and I installed a new program in the lions no too long ago. If any of the lions are incapacitated or if the system if abruptly shut down – as in this case – the computer will fuse the key into the port, making it impossible for anyone to take the key out without an access code."

Allura let out an audible sigh of relief.

"There's more," Pidge continued, "if any of us are forced to abandon our lions, the new system will send a signal to the lions to either find the others or return to it's lair. I'm betting that now that the lions have power that Blue has already gone back to the lake."

"Which means Allura can still access Blue through the underground tunnels." Keith finished. Pidge and Hunk both nodded.

Lance jumped up from his seat. "What the hell are we waiting for? Let's gear up and go get Lotor. You have no idea how I am itching to kick some Drule ass right now."

Keith narrowed his eyes at his second in command. "Yes, I think we do, Lance. Trust me when I tell you that I think we are all feeling it right now. Now sit down."

With the wind suddenly taken out of his sails, Lance dropped back into his chair sullenly.

"There are still a few more details that we need to take care of." Keith announced. Then he turned to Sven and Romelle. "How far out are your soldiers, Romelle?"

"A few hours by foot, maybe." she answered, "They are camped just beyond the mountains. Waiting for their orders."

"Good. We are going to need all the ground support we can get to clear out any of the Drule soldiers still in the towns. If we get you a transport can you and Sven rally the troops?"

Romelle and Sven nodded in tandem. "Of course."

"What about me?"

The group turned toward the door where Richie leaned casually against the frame.

"_You _want to help us?" Lance spit out before he could stop himself.

Richie ignored him and walked to stand in front of Keith. "I know that I have always given you a hard time, Kogane, but with everything that's been going on, it's obvious to me that you are trying to do something good here." He shrugged. "I would like to help."

Keith looked up at the bigger man, maintaining eye contact. It was clear to him that Richie was telling the truth. There was no hidden agenda. He nodded. "You've had military training. That could be useful. You can help Sven and Romelle. They could use another body who has field experience."

Richie glanced at Sven who nodded his approval before giving Keith his own nod.

Lance let out a big, fake yawn. "Oh my god, if we're all done singing camp fire songs and roasting marshmallows, can we please get this show on the road?"

Instead of chastising Lance at that moment, Keith said, "Right. Everyone's got their orders. Let's do this!"

As they shuffled out the door, Allura caught Sven by the arm. "Hey, Sven. I need to talk to you about something."

"Allura?" Keith called. "Are you coming?"

"I'll be right there, Keith."

"Okay, but don't be long."

"Alright." she called before returning her attention to Sven.

Romelle sidled up beside them. "Do you need to speak in private?" she asked.

Allura shook her head. "Actually, I need to talk to the both of you." She glanced around to make sure that they were alone. "I have a favor that I need to ask of you."

**END OF ACT II**

**Yes, Friends, this is the end of Act II. We are now officially 2/3 of the way through the story and there is a lot more stuff to come. Thanks to all of you who are muddling through with me. Your words of support mean very much to me. :) Keep the reviews coming. They keep me at the keyboard (although I'm not so sure that's necessarily a good thing) ha ha... **

**Up Next - ACT III: The Final Battle**


	22. Chapter 22

**Hello again! After all this time, I am sure that many of you who were so gracious to follow my story before had given up hope that this sucker would ever get finished. Trust me when I say that you are not the only ones. At any rate, I have made a resolution that I will finish this story (mostly because I have others that I want to write but can't until I have laid this one to rest), so I dusted off my trusty laptop, and this is what happened. Enjoy!**

**On a side note...the rest of this story is practically already written, so I promise that the wait for updates will be minimal.**

Keith felt a weight lift from his shoulders as he settled into the cockpit of the Black Lion. There was no indecision or confusion within him. In fact, being in Black was most certainly a spiritual experience for him. There was no hesitation. Only control. And after everything that had happened recently, he sorely needed that feeling of being in command once again. Once a quick pre-flight check was complete, he let out a satisfying breath as his beast lifted itself from its pedestal and rose into the bright blue morning sky. His fingers flew effortlessly over the controls as he and his lion streaked through clouds as one. Only moments later, he hovered over the desert cave that served as the Yellow Lion's den. Hunk was already in the sky, waiting for him.

"It feels good to be back!" Hunk whooped over the intercom.

Keith gave a small laugh. "Agreed."

"Hell yeah!" Lance yelled as Red Lion approached.

"Pidge," Keith said as Green came into view. "what do your diagnostics look like?"

"Lookin' good so far, Keith. The power cells are fully charged and ready to go." Pidge reported.

Keith nodded. "Alright, then. Now we just wait for Allura and then..."

"Speaking of her Royalness," Lance interjected, "here she comes now." He frowned at the scanner. "But it looks like something's wrong."

The Blue Lion was flying on wobbly path to say the least. The bobbing and weaving reminded Lance why he had long ago given up drinking Tequila. Then without warning, it lifted its tail and flung an bolt of ice right at Lance. Red jumped nimbly out of the way barely getting nipped in the foot.

"What the hell, Allura?" Lance admonished.

Then something happened that shocked them all. Blue lion answered. But wasn't the voice they were expecting.

"Sorry, Buddy," the strong Norwegian accent came through loud and clear, "it's been awhile and I think I need to get accustomed to the controls on this thing."

Keith's jaw dropped. "Sven? What the...?"

"Allura asked me to fly Blue Lion." Sven interrupted. "She said that she had some pressing business to attend to."

"Pressing business?" Hunk snarled. "What could possibly be more important that saving her planet from the Drules?"

There was an umcomfortable silence for a moment, which surprised Lance because normally Keith would be fuming about Allura's inability to follow orders. Then again, both Lance and Keith knew very well where Allura had gone. Keith didn't want to say it out loud, so Lance finally spoke. "She's going after Lotor. Isn't she?" 

Keith nodded. "Yes." His answer was quiet and calm, and Lance was beginning to wonder if it was really Keith piloting Black.

"Well?" Hunk joined. "Are we going to go back for her? Certainly she doesn't think that she can take on Lotor all by herself."

Keith allowed himself another moment of contemplation. Of course his first instinct was to go back and drag her to the Blue Lion by her hair. But he had learned his lesson after The Inferno. It was not the time to allow emotions to dictate his actions. "No," he finally said, "Allura has made her decision."

Pidge's jaw dropped. "But..."

"And I have made mine." Keith said with certain authority. "We have neither the time nor the manpower to go back for her, Pidge. We have one objective now. To stop the Drule armada. We clear out those ships, then we'll hunt down Lotor." His eyes narrowed and not a single one of the men on his team doubted the next the words out of their commander's mouth. "This ends now."

They all nodded in agreement. Any more discussion was halted when their sensor alarms went off simultaneously.

"Um, Keith," Pidge said, "we've got company." He watched his scanner. "And it looks big."

"A Robeast?" Keith asked.

Then Pidge smiled. "Actually, no. It's The Explorer!"

Allura peeked around the corner of the corridor to make sure it was clear. She hated sneaking around, but she also knew that if Coran and Nanny found out what she was up to, they would try to stop her. The combat gear that she had secured from the supply room was a little big, but it served her purpose. She had also taken two pistols, now attached to her hips, and a lazor rifle. All she needed to do was get out of the underground bunkers and sneak into the castle. Then she would find Lotor and put an end to his treachery.

"You look like a woman on a mission." a voice hissed in her ear from behind. Allura jumped and spun around. She was relieved that it was only Deirdre who had discovered her. "Sorry," Deirdre said, "didn't mean to scare you."

Allura let out a breath. "It's okay. What are you doing out of medical bay?" Then she noticed Deirdre's attire. She was wearing the Drule soldier uniform that she had been wearing when Lance had brought her underground. Her red hair was pulled back tightly into a ponytail.

Deirdre smirked at her. "On a mission of my own." She glanced around the stone walled corridor before leaning against it to take in Allura. "Nice gear," she commented as if they were having a normal conversation about the weather. "I could use some hardware like that." She indicated the rifle in Allura's hands.

The princess watched her skeptically. While Lance was positive that Deirdre was back to her own self, Allura couldn't help but be wary of putting weaponry into her hands. "What are you planning to do?"

Deirdre smirked. "The same as you, I imagine." She paused briefly before speaking one name. "Lotor."

"Lotor?" Allura blinked at her.

"You're not the only one with a score to settle, Allura. I mean to make Lotor pay for this. And I plan on getting a hold of that witch of his and finding out what exactly she did to me."

Allura watched her for a moment, contemplating what she should do. She hadn't really planned the scenario out yet, but she was sure that with her knowledge of the inner workings of the castle that she would be able to get in and get Lotor. She probably wouldn't make it out alive, but that was most certainly a risk she was willing to take. Perhaps it would be prudent to have someone at her back.

"Okay." she said finally. "This way."

Deirdre followed her as she went back the way she came toward the store room. "How exactly are you planning on getting into castle?"

"When my ancestors built Voltron, they realized that such a power would bring a great threat to Arus. They knew that there would always be greedy individuals who would try to exploit such power. So, they built a series of tunnels throughout the castle in case of invasion." Allura stopped in front of a heavy metal door. After glancing around to make sure they alone, she punched in a series of numbers into an electronic key pad. The locked clicked and the door opened. "When I was young, my father and I used to play hide and seek in the different tunnels. He wanted me to know them inside and out for my own protection. I have every one of them committed to memory." She stepped aside and allowed Deirdre entrance to the store room.

Deirdre let out a long whistle. The walls of the deep room were lined with all sorts of different weaponry, from laser rifles and pistols to long swords and tactical knifes. On the back wall: grenades, smoke bombs, pipe bombs, and land mines rested each on its own shelf. She turned to Allura and smiled. "Everything a girl needs, eh. But let me ask you something, Allura."

"Yes?"

"I thought that this was a peaceful planet. From what I understand, even Voltron is only allowed for defense. What's with the arsenal?"

Allura smirked. "We may be peaceful beings, but we're not stupid."

Deirdre nodded and smiled. "Alright, then. Let's load up."

Wade regarded the the five lions in flight from the bridge of The Explorer. Lotor had obviously gotten the lions up and running and no doubt was planning on ambushing Zeppo when the crazy son of a bitch showed his face. He would destroy them both. The time had come. And he reveled in it. He was about to be the most powerful man in the universe and it made his mouth water madly. Of course, he didn't know for certain that Lotor was in command of the Voltron lions. For all he knew, the Commander and the Princess has made it off of the Inferno alive. He chuckled silently to himself. It made no difference really who was in control. He was going to destroy Voltron.

From his command seat, he tapped a button on the controls in front of him. "Lt. Garrett."

A young, faceless voice came over the speaker. "Yes, Sir."

"Everything is in place as I requested?"

"Yes, Sir. No communications in or out, Sir."

Wade smiled broadly, making the whiskers of his mustache bristle. "Good. Commander Harper."

The man at the helm in front of him turned slightly in his seat. "Yes, Sir."

"We know for a fact that the Drules in command of those lions. We cannot allow that. Fire on them at will, Commander."

"Yes, Sir."

"Kieth, I'm still not getting any communications through to the Explorer." Pidge announced. "I think the signals have been scrambled."

"Can you unscramble them?"

"I don't know, I mean, I can try to do it from our end, but it would help if someone on the Explorer was..."

Pidge never got to finish his sentence. Green lion was knocked backward with a jolt nearly slamming into the side of the desert mountain that housed Yellow. Pidge jerked on the controls keeping him from careening to the ground.

"Pidge! Are you alright?" Keith's yelled into his intercom.

Once stabilized, Pidge shook his head to get rid of the ringing in his ears. "Yeah, I think so."

"What the hell was that?" Lance bellowed.

Hunk answered. "It came from the Explorer! They're firing on us!"

Another blast nearly clipped Black's nose.

"Why are they attacking us?" Sven growled.

Keith furrowed his brow. There was only one explanation. "It has to be Wade." he ground through clinched teeth. "He must be in command of the Explorer." He thought for a brief moment before making his decision. "Everyone in formation! Follow me."

With his team behind him, he pulled Black into the sky, climbing through the clouds until the Explorer came into his view screen. He hated what he was going to have to do next, but if Wade was trying to destroy Voltron, he had no other choice. "Fire!" he yelled.

The alarms blared loudly throughout The Explorer as Jeff raced down the corridor. The sound of a small explosion could be heard as the ship rocked violently. He steadied himself against the bulkhead and waited briefly for it to pass before pressing forward toward the hanger that housed his team's vehicles. By the time he arrived at his destination, Chip and Ginger were waiting for him. Both wore curious expressions that Jeff did not need to interpret.

"We're under attack!" he claimed, before either could get the question out.

"Drules?" Ginger asked.

Jeff shook his head, reluctant to even voice the truth. "It's Voltron."

"What?" They both cried with disbelief.

"Hey, what's going on?" Wolo and Rocky were sprinting toward them.

Jeff took a breath and looked at each of them. "Wade said that he had confirmation that Keith and Princess Allura were on board The Inferno when it went down." He paused to let them process the information.

"Keith!" Ginger shrieked, tears already flooding her eyes. Rocky put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"We'll have time to mourn his loss later, Ginger." Jeff hated to sound cruel, but time was of the essence at that moment. "Right now, we need to be at the top of our game. Wade has every reason to believe that the Drules have taken control of the lions."

Rocky nodded. "How are we going to handle this, Chief?"

"I think that we can all agree that Voltron can not be left in the hands of the Drules." Jeff paused again. "Our orders are clear, take the lions down with any force necessary. Air Team will be deployed first to assess the situation. Then we'll call in the others if we need them. Everyone clear?"

He looked at each of them. Rocky, Wolo, and Chip nodded. They were with him.

"Ginger?"

The usually bubbly blond lifted her head from where it rested on Rocky's shoulder. She wiped the tears from her cheek. "Yes, Jeff, you can count me in."

"Good. Now let's get this done."

Romelle pushed aside the tall grass in which she lay hidden so that she could get a better view of the small village at the bottom of the hill. Next to her, Richie looked through his binoculars, hoping to get some glimpse of life. It had taken them less time than expected to get back to camp and apprise her troops of the situation. Now was the time for action. They would clear out all the nearby communities, then they would reclaim the Castle of Lions.

"Do you see anything?" Romelle whispered.

"Well, you could say that." Richie replied.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Richie smiled at her. "Relax, Princess, here..." he handed her the binoculars. "...see for yourself."

Romelle peered through the lenses. What she saw was certainly not what she was expecting. She shoved the binoculars back at him. "We have to get down there." She pushed herself up to a standing position and made a series of gestures at her troops only a few lengths behind them.

Not ten minutes later, Romelle, Richie, and the troops were standing in the middle of the town square, trying to interpret the meaning of the sordid scene that they had come upon. Doom soldiers lay strewn about the square. There were no villagers to be found.

"What do you think happened here?" Romelle asked softly.

Richie rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Looks like the soldiers came to take the village. And the villagers weren't having it. Look," He pointed to two of the soldiers lying in the dirt. Their weapons are gone."

"Hold it!" The voice behind them made them turn. Three young men stood before them, each with a blaster in his hand.

Their presence prompted Romelle's troops to raise their weapons. The youth standing in front of the other two trained his blaster at Romelle, but she noticed that his hands were shaking ever so slightly. "Put your guns down, or I will shoot her."

Romelle motioned for her men to lower their weapons. "Hello, there." She raised her hands and tried her best to smile even while staring down a barrel of a gun. "We're not your enemies. I am Princess Romelle of Pollux. Princess Allura is my cousin. We're here to help you."

"Don't listen to her, Lorne!" The dark haired boy standing in back of him barked. "The Drules are liars. Why would the Princess of Pollux be leading her own army? Surely she has commanders for that," he snarled.

Romelle bristled slightly. She hated when people assumed that she was not capable of leading her army in combat. She had proven time and again that she was as capable as any man. She was about to lay into the young man, but never got the chance."

"Hey kid," Richie took their attention when he spoke in his deep, authoritative voice. "I bet she could take you out in a heartbeat if given the chance. Anyway, just take a good look at her. She looks just like your princess. Hell, the two of them could be sisters."

Lorne narrowed his eyes as his gaze bore into her. He looked undecided, so Romelle decided it was time to try again. She took a step towards him. "Listen...Lorne, that's your name, right?" She took another small step. "Lorne, you don't look like a cold-blooded killer to me."

The other boy snorted. "Shows how much you know! Lorne helped the Voltron Force take out all of these soldiers!" he said proudly.

Romelle nodded. "Yes," she remembered Lance telling her about the village when he and Hunk had stolen the Drule ship. "It must have been Lance and Hunk." She stole a glance at Richie who nodded. "They told me all about what happened here. About how they stole the Drule freighter to fool Prince Lotor. They also said that they had they couldn't have done it without the help they got from some very brave men in the village. One of the names Lance mentioned was Lorne."

Lorne's mouth gave a slight twitch. "He...told the others about me."

"Yes," Richie responded, "he said that you and your friends were great heroes."

The young man finally lowered his blaster. "Heroes? Us?"

Romelle smiled at him. "Yes, Lorne. And I'm sure when all of this is over, Princess Allura will want to thank you personally for your role in her rescue."

Scarlet splotches covered the boys' faces in embarrassment. Then Lorne's expression turned serious. "We want to help you." He said. "We have a lot of men hiding in the caves, waiting to hear from the Voltron Force. We're ready to fight for Arus."

Romelle was touched by Lorne's words, but she was unsure if she really wanted to put them in that kind of danger. She thought of her cousin. Surely Allura would reject the notion. After all, the Princess of Arus had suffered greatly to protect her people. "Lorne, I'm not sure that you fully understand what standing up to the likes of Lotor could cost you."

"Yes, we do." The dark haired boy stepped forward, his resolve clear. "We've lived under his terror for most of our lives."

"I say we let them fight." They all turned to face Richie.

Suddenly, Romelle felt very irritated. The man had no right to meddle in the affairs of a planet that he knew absolutely nothing about. "You have no say in this!" she shot back at him.

Richie ignored her anger. "Maybe not," he said calmly, "but don't you think that they should have a say in protecting their own home?"

The princess looked from Richie to the three young men. The expressions on their faces told her that they were going to fight with or without her help. She sighed deeply and resigned herself. "Very well, take us to where the others are."

"Whoo hoo!" the boys shouted as they turned to lead them out of the square.

Romelle motioned for her men to follow, but she hung back for a moment contemplating what the future might hold for the people of Arus. She became acutely aware that Richie was standing right next to her. "These people are not trained soldiers, Richie," she stated through ground teeth.

He leaned in slightly and spoke softly. "There is no greater army than the one that fights for his own freedom."

His words hung in the air as he left her side to follow the others. As she watched him go, she felt how true they were. The thought of freedom and protecting the ones that she loved were the only two things that had kept her alive when she was Zarkon's prisoner. She just hoped that it would be enough for the people of Arus.

The tunnels that ran throughout the Castle of Lions were every bit as dark and dank as Allura remembered them to be. Listening to her own footsteps echoing off of the stone the surrounded her brought back a flood of memories so acute that she had to stop for a brief moment to get her bearings. Once inside, she was able to confidently lead them through. Of course, as many hours as she had spent in the dark tunnels – first with her father, then hiding from Nanny when she got a bit older – she could have navigated them with her eyes closed. She could hear Deirdre's heavy breathing behind her. The path was not difficult, but if a person was not acclimated with the small spaces through which they walked, claustrophobia had a way of rearing its ugly head. No to mention that time seemed to slow to a crawl.

"Are you alright back there?" Allura asked.

"Um, yeah, I'm okay." Deirdre managed. After another moment, she spoke again. "Um, how much farther are you planning on taking us?"

"We're almost there." Allura assured her, as she focused on the beam of light coming from the flashlight on her wrist.

They continued walking in silence until Allura began to see the tell-tale signs that their destination was nearing. As a child, she had hated when Nanny would fuss over her, making sure every hair was in perfect place whenever neighboring royals would visit. Allura had gotten in the habit of hiding out in the tunnels until Nanny finally gave up pursuit. Sometimes it would take hours, so Allura had stashed her paints in a nearby entrance. She had littered the walls with drawings and paintings out of her own imagination. Now, as an adult, she lightly ran her fingertips along the faded artwork, feeling as if she was drawing power from the memories of her younger self. Then she stopped.

"This is it." she said, putting her ear against the stone. She heard nothing coming from the other side. She turned to Deirdre who was now sweating profusely. "Are you ready?"

Deirdre nodded. "Are you sure this is going to work?"

Allura smirked at her. "Nope."

"Okay." Deirdre replied. Then she shrugged. "What the hell, let's do it anyway."

The princess nodded and pushed on the wall with some force. The stone gave way, and a door appeared. They crawled through and found themselves in the King and Queen's main bedroom chamber. It was just as Allura had remembered it. Although she was technically the ruling monarch of Arus, she had never been able to bring herself to move into the large suite, opting instead to stay in her own room that she had been in since she was born. It was only half the size of the master suite, but it served her purpose.

Next to her, Deirdre whistled softly. "Now this is what I call some primo sleeping quarters," she commented.

"Come on," Allura whispered.

They turned off their flashlights and, with blasters in hands, quickly moved the length of the room to the door on the other side. Once again, Allura paused to listen for any indication that someone was on the other side. She heard nothing. As quietly as she could, she slowly opened the door and slipped into the hallway with Deirdre close behind.

"The back stairs leading to Castle Control is around that corner to the left," she whispered. "We'll have to be quick."

Deirdre nodded. "And hope we don't get caught."

Allura nodded and began making her way to the end of the corridor. Her heart was pumping so loud in her ears that she barely registered the nearing footsteps. By then, it was too late. Allura raised her blaster to take aim, only to falter as the muzzle of a gun rested sharply into her back. As the armed soldiers rounded the corner, Deirdre spoke loudly and with authority.

"Hold your weapons!" she ordered. "I've got the Princess in my custody."

The two Drules were startled to see the two women in the hallway, but they conceded to Deirdre's orders. They looked from Allura to Deirdre, each noting the Drule uniform that she was wearing.

"Drop your weapon." Deirdre said to Allura.

"Deirdre, you traitor!" Allura bellowed. "I knew that I shouldn't have trusted you!"

"Maybe next time you'll listen to your instincts instead of being a trusting fool. Now drop your blaster."

Allura complied.

"Now," Deirdre continued, speaking to the soldiers. "take me to Lotor. I have a little gift for him."


	23. Chapter 23

**This chapter took longer than anticipated. There was a lot of stuff to make heads or tails of. So, I hope you enjoy! Please let me know what you think. I always take critiques and suggestions to heart. They make me a better writer. Thanks!**

"Who the hell is flying those lions?!" Lotor bellowed as he stared at the view screen from Castle Control.

The young lieutenant sitting at the main controls in front of him shook visibly as his hands flew across the board. "I don't know," he finally answered. "I can't get any readings on them. They are not responding to any hails."

Lotor ground his teeth together. He was sure that the Voltron Force had been dismantled. There was no way that the Commander could have made it off the Inferno alive. Was there? There were too many variables. The Commander, the Princess, and the Red Lion pilot had all been on board. Surely there hadn't been enough time for all of them to get off before the Drule ship exploded. It had to be someone else.

"Sire," the timid lieutenant turned to him. "Is it possible that the lions are flying themselves?"

Lotor thought for a moment. The Blue Lion had inexplicably taken off unmanned from the custody of his soldiers. He turned to Hagar who floated nearby.

"What do you think, witch? Is it possible that the lions are flying themselves?"

The witch moved to him. "There is an energy that comes from the core of Arus that gives Voltron his power. A certain type of magic, if you will. That is how I was able to take control of the castle in the first place. I used my magic to block the energy flowing to the castle and the lions. That blockage has been remedied and now the lions are back at full power."

"I know all of that!" Lotor was losing his patience. "Answer the question!"

Hagar bristled at his tone. "It is possible that the energy provides the lions with a defense mechanism that would allow them to escape should the Castle of Lions be taken."

"Can you stop the flow of energy again and take control of the lions?"

"I don't know." Hagar admitted. "The first time I did it, the lions were at rest, except for the Blue Lion. They were taken by surprise. Even in that case, it took a considerable amount of time and energy to create such a powerful interruption of their energy."

Lotor narrowed his eyes at her, clearly not pleased with her response."Well, you better get started then."

"The lions could return any moment in an attempt to take the castle back. There simply isn't enough time. Perhaps if I sent one of my robeasts to..."

"NO!" Lotor screamed at her. "No robeasts! I want the lions in tact and ready to form Voltron under my command."

"But Lotor..."

"I have made my commands known, witch!"

Hagar was about to make another argument when the communications link bleeped at him.

"King Lotor," a faceless voice called to him. It was a Drule soldier.

"WHAT?" Lotor yelled.

"Sire, we came across something interesting while canvassing the castle interior."

Lotor took a breath and rubbed his temples. Did he have to micro-manage all of the goings on of his incompetent soldiers? "What did you find? More of those damned space mice?"

"No, Sire...Princess Allura."

Lotor's heart nearly stopped as he processed the news. _Allura is alive?_ She had made it off the ship and was now at the castle. "The Princess?" He had to make sure that he had heard correctly.

"Yes, Sire."

A giddy chuckle escaped his lips that turned into a maniacal laugh that echoed through the control room. She was his again! It was almost too much for him to bear. He had the Castle of Lions! And now he had the Princess! It was a joyous occasion to be sure! After taking a moment to revel in this new information, he quieted, lost in thought. "Take her to the Great Hall," he said the soldier. "I will meet you there." He turned on his heel to leave.

"Lotor, what about the lions?" Hagar said, irritated. The news that the Princess lived could not have come at worse moment. Now Lotor's attention would be on her, and her alone.

Lotor glared at her. "I told you what to do, Hagar. Find a way to get those lions back under my control. I want to meet my future bride in the Great Hall. The first thing that I want her to see is me sitting on her father's throne." He smirked at her, turned again, and walked out of the control room.

Hagar stared at the door even after Lotor was well on his way. _We are so close, now. Lotor, that woman will be the death of you. _She breathed heavily and made a decision. She would have be the one to take out Voltron. Just as she had done for Lotor many times, and his father before him, she would have to be the one to fix the mess that Lotor had created.

The lieutenant at the controls turned to her. "The external scanners are picking up another ship moving into the atmosphere."

"Drule?" Hagar assumed that Zeppo was finally making his grand entrance.

"No," he answered. "It's an Alliance vessel."

Hagar ground her teeth. Things were careening out of control very quickly. _Very well, it's time to do things my way, for a change. _She turned to the lieutenant. "Prepare to release the robeast," she told him.

He stared back her, wide-eyed. "But King Lotor said..."

"Do as I say now!" she ordered. "Or you will not live to see another Arusian sunset."

Black Lion took point as the Voltron Force maneuvered into position waiting for their orders to take another crack at the Explorer. Keith was positive that Wade was behind the unprovoked attack. He wondered idly what the Sky Marshal's motivation could be. What was Wade's end game? Did he really think that he could take Arus and control Voltron? Keith scowled at the thought. Wade had already proven to the Commander that he was a megalomaniac. He was responsible for General Graham's death and the Voltron team's subsequent traitor status on Earth. While Keith had no definitive proof, he was certain that Wade was in league with Lotor which meant that he would feel every bit of Keith's wrath that the King of Doom had coming to him.

"What's the hold up, Keith?" Lance's tone echoed Keith's own edgy feelings. "Those warning shots aren't going to hold them off forever."

Keith gritted his teeth. "Hold on, Lance. I know that you want nothing more than to blow Wade to Hell. But remember that there are innocent Garrison officers and soldiers on that ship. No matter how we feel about Wade, they are still our brothers and sisters at arms."

"Yes," Sven agreed. "They are just following orders."

Hunk chimed in. "We have to get in contact with someone from that ship. Find out what's really going on."

"I think," Lance grinned at them, "we may just get our chance, boys."

Their attention turned back to The Explorer as five ships left the hanger bay and maneuvered themselves between the lions and The Explorer.

"YES!" Pidge squealed. "It's the Vehicle Voltron Air Team! They'll tell us what's going on!"

Keith nodded. Perhaps Jeff could shed a little light on things. He had let Hunk take the key his ship. Maybe he thought they weren't such a lost cause. Before he could try to hail him Air Ship 1, a photon missile was fired at them without warning.

The missile slammed into Red's chest knocking the huge cat backwards and taking it into free fall. Lance felt his neck strain uncomfortably as his head bobbed back and forth violently striking the back of his seat. He blinked rapidly as the cockpit spun before his eyes like his brain was being scrambled in his skull.

"Lance!" He tried to focus on the voice calling to him. He could hear Keith, but the Commander seemed worlds away. "Lance! Pull up!"

Lance's brain struggled to form a coherent thought. He shook his head, trying desperately to ward off the darkness that was creeping into his field of vision. _Pull up! Come on, Lance! Pull up, damn it! _He forced himself to repeat over and over. The mantra worked as his vision cleared and the full weight of situation shot through his system. He was falling – or more accurately, spiraling – out of control towards Arus. His piloting skills slid into autopilot. Without thinking, he yanked on the controls, then twisted hard, pulling Red from its decline and concurrently straightening the flight path.

"Lance, are you alright?"

This time, Lance could hear Keith loud and clear. Any fog left in his brain was pushed aside by the adrenaline still pumping angrily through his veins. His eyes zeroed in on the ship that was responsible for his near demise.

"Lance!"

"What!?" he finally growled.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Now I'm going to give that asshole what he has coming to him!"

"That's a negative, Lance." Keith ordered.

Lance felt his face burning. "Are you serious? He just tried to kill me!" He was nearly screaming now.

Keith heard the anger in Lance's voice and knew that he had to diffuse the situation before Lance and Jeff declared all out war on each other. "I told you, they're under orders. And I'm sure that Wade conveniently left out some important information."

"Yeah," Pidge chimed in. "Like the fact that we're still alive."

"Yes," Keith agreed. "Pidge, can we communicate with them at all?"

Pidge's hands flew across the controls. "That's a negative, Commander. There's a dampening field that appears to be coming from The Explorer. It's blocking all of our communications."

Keith let out a slow breath. He needed to think. Unfortunately, there wasn't time. "Okay, Pidge, if we can lure the Air Team away from the dampening field, can you get our communications back up?"

"Possibly. It's certainly worth a try."

"Right. Okay, Team, here's how this is going down. Pidge, you take point. Head West – away from the castle. The rest of us will draw their fire while your working on the Comm. Hunk flank him starboard – Lance take port. Sven and I will bring up the rear. Everyone got that."

A series of affirmatives echoed through his cockpit. "Let's go."

Jeff frowned. Why were the lions not attacking? Or, at the very least, why were they defending themselves? He had nearly destroyed Red Lion, and yet there had been no retaliation. What the hell was going on? He punched the communication button. Nothing. "Chip, what's going on? I can't hail the lions."

"The Explorer has put a dampening field in place. No communications in or out."

Jeff contemplated their next move. Something in his gut didn't feel right about firing on the lions. Before his thoughts came to conclusion, the lions turned, and with Green Lion in the lead, flew off toward the Arusian forest.

"Follow them!" He barked at his team. Taking point, he sped off after the lions towards the Arusian Forest.

Jeff kept his attention focused on Black Lion. They were only traveling at about three-quarters of their actual speed capacity which led Jeff to believe that they were not actually trying to escape. That meant there was something else going on.

"Stay back, everyone," he ordered his team. "They've got something planned. Keep an eye out for any surprises."

"Commander!" Wade's voice boomed throughout the cockpit. "What's going on? Why are you not firing on them!"

"They're on the run, Marshal." Jeff informed him.

"I don't care, Commander. They are a threat to the Galaxy Alliance! Get those lions out of the sky! NOW!"

Jeff furrowed his brow. Something still felt weird, but if his gut was wrong, and the Drules did have control of the lions, then the galaxy was in big trouble. "Alright, everyone," he addressed his team. "Ready photons at sixty percent power."

"WHAT?" Chip screeched over the phone.

"Jeff," Ginger said, "you don't really mean to blow them out of the sky!"

"All I want to do is take them down without destroying them." Jeff answered. "Ready your weapons, and prepare to fire."

In Blue Lion, Sven glanced down at his scanners as they chirped loudly at him. "Keith, they're powering up their weapons."

"Okay," Keith said, "just hold position. Pidge, how's our progress?"

"We're getting closer to the perimeter of the field. Then we should be able to hail them."

"Good, then we'll," Keith was cut off as Black took a hit, slamming him forward hard against his harness. He gritted his teeth as a searing pain shot through his shoulder. It was a sobering reminder of the stab wound that was still on the mend – even with Dr. Gorma's excellent treatments. The presence of the wound also allowed the anger that Keith had been conscientiously locking away to bubble to the surface.

"Keith," Lance called to him as he dodged a blast aimed at Red. "You alright back there?"

Keith took a deep breath and forced the pain and the anger to the back of his mind. Now was not the time to deal with the unbidden feelings. Keith knew as well as any good leader that going into a battle with that level of rage would certainly lead to detrimental mistakes. He would have to deal with them later. Although, he had to admit to himself, if he contemplated on the pure hatred that he felt towards Lotor and Wade at that moment, it might very well lead to total madness. "Yeah, I'm good."

"How much longer are we going to have to put up with Jeff's shit?" Hunk complained.

Keith was thoughtful. "Those blasts were not a full power," he observed. "I don't think they're trying to destroy the lions. Only cripple them."

"Yeah, well," Hunk said, "it's gonna happen if we take many more of them."

"Alright, then," Keith said. "Lance and Hunk, you two stay with Pidge. Sven, follow me."

Keith pulled Black into a steep arc with Blue following. After completing the turn, they moved themselves into position to intercept the Air Team head on.

"What's the order, Commander?" Sven asked.

Keith narrowed his eyes at the incoming ships. "Keep your weapons at lower levels. We don't want to destroy them, either. But we have to buy Pidge some time."

"Got it." Sven affirmed.

Blue lifted its tail and flung an ice shard at Air ship 4, clipping the wing while Black the wing while Black materialized his dagger in his mouth, reared his head back, and flung it at Air Ship 2.

Rocky yanked on the controls of the ship, barely avoiding a hit by Black Lion's dagger. "What the hell?"

"I think they've gone on the offensive, Jeff," commented Ginger.

Chip chewed his lip as he shook off the last of the ice. "Nothing we're doing is even getting close to taking them down."

"Fine!" Jeff said, finally. "Take weapons up to full power!" he ordered. He finally pushed the remaining doubts about the lions out of his head. Regardless of his uncertainties, now they were attacking his team. That was unacceptable.

Wade sat in the captain's chair on the bridge of The Explorer – his fists clenched in frustration. He could no longer see the lions or his own Vehicle Force on the view screen. What the hell were they doing? The beep from The Explorer's scanner drew his attention back to the bridge.

"Marshal Wade," the young Lieutenant at the helm called to him. "There is a fleet of ships entering the atmosphere, Sir. Looks like they are Drule ships."

_Zeppo!_ Wade thought. _Lotor must have called him to Arus._ Wade was not surprised at the apparent double-cross of the Drule leader, but he had hoped that he would have more time to prepare for his own assault on them. "Deploy the remaining Voltron teams. Once the Air Team has destroyed the lions, they will take out that fleet."

"Yes, Sir."

"Pidge," Keith said through clenched teeth. The last thing he needed right now was for the Air Team to force their hand. "I need an open channel! Now!"

"Keith," Sven called to the commander. "They're powering up their weapons again. This time it looks like they mean to take us out by any means."

"Pidge!" The seconds that ticked by may as well have been days as Keith and Jeff faced each other.

"Okay! Got it, Keith! You have a link!"

"JEFF!" Keith bellowed. "IT'S KEITH! HOLD YOUR FIRE!"

Wade watched as the Vehicle Voltron team engaged the Drule air fighters. Of course, the Drule pilots were no match for the finely honed combat skills of Garrison team. But there was the fact that they were severely outnumbered. The Drule fighters kept coming in droves from the massive flag ship. Wade likened it to a wasp nest that he had banged soundly with a stick when he was just a boy. The wasps – like the Drules – had come after him relentlessly. The Voltron pilots seemed to be holding their own, but even the most seasoned soldier could get rattled when faced with such numbers. They needed Voltron!

Then something happened that even Wade had to admit he did not anticipate.

"Uh, Marshal Wade?"

He turned his attention back to the lieutenant once again. "WHAT?"

"Look."

The view screen that had previously been showing the ongoing battle changed abruptly to show the massive lake just outside of the castle walls. The choppy waves began to work in tandem churning into a very large, and very deep, whirlpool. He saw the horns first, rising out of the water like too samurai blades being lifted toward the sun. The head was next. Half-human, half-dragon with green lizard shaped eyes. As the monster continued its ascent from the water, revealing its rock hard skin, it let out an ear splitting roar, demonstrating some very razor sharp teeth. Two wings emerged from its back which – when spread wide – easily dwarfed two Explorer's set end to end. As it took to the sky, the long tail shook off the remainder of the water that rolled effortlessly off of its scaly skin.

_A robeast! God damn you, Lotor! You let that crazy witch of yours unleash a robeast on me? _Wade fumed with almost uncontrollable rage. He would destroy Lotor for this.

"CALL BACK THE AIR TEAM!" He yelled at the befuddled crew. "WE NEED VOLTRON NOW!"

"Hold your fire!" Jeff ordered his team, although he knew that they had heard the same message he had, and were not doubt in just as much shock as he was. "Keith? Is that really you?"

"KEITH!" Ginger's shrill voice came through.

Inside Black Lion, Keith let out a relieved breath that he hadn't even been aware that he's been holding. "Yes, it's us!"

"Hot damn!" Rocky shouted. "Wade told us you were dead."

"Still alive and kicking." Lance rang in as the red, yellow, and green lions joined them.

Keith shook his head. "Can't say that I'm really surprised that he told you that. Wade has been up to some pretty heinous activities, Jeff."

Lance huffed. "That's putting it likely. The guy's a total dick!"

"I'm listening." Jeff said.

"EXPLORER TO AIR TEAM!" another voice cut in. "WE NEED YOU BACK IMMEDIATELY. WE'RE UNDER ATTACK BY A ROBEAST!"

**So, the battle for Arus has officially begun. Lot's of stuff going on right now! For those of you wondering about the fate of our fair princess, don't worry, she'll be back in the next chapter. **

**Thanks for reading! Don't forget to tell me what you think. :)**


	24. Chapter 24

Of all of the memories that Allura kept close to her heart one of her most precious was sitting with her father in his throne room. She was not always allowed to be present, but every now and then, her father, against the wishes of her mother and nanny, of course, would allow her to sit just behind him as he addressed the concerns of his people. His argument was that if she was to learn to rule Arus, she must learn to feel empathy for them above all else. He did not disappoint. Allura watched her father be as fair and just as possible, even if his decisions confused her every now and then. He had been a true and good king for Arus.

Now, standing in the Great Hall, she felt her stomach turn sour as she gazed up at the current occupant of her father's chair. Lotor sat arrogantly, grinning down his nose at her. His mere presence tarnished the very ideals that her father had fought so hard to instill in her. She fought to control the shaking anger that was creeping through her body. She refused to let Lotor see how he affected her. It was almost too much to bear.

Instead, she focused on her current situation. Glancing around, saw two guards by the door, two at the bottom of the grand staircase where she stood, and two more guards on either side of Lotor. The odds were definitely not in her favor. She squared her shoulders. She would figure out a way to get rid of Lotor. She had to.

"Welcome home, Princess." Lotor's grin widened even more as he spoke.

She cringed again, but stood tall. "This is no longer my home, Lotor. Not as long as you sit on my father's throne."

"But it is my throne now, Allura. I am the King of Arus!" He paused to wrangle the excitement that was edging into his voice. "And you shall rule as my Queen."

"That will never be your throne!" she bit out. "That throne is reserved for a greater man than you."

Lotor narrowed his eyes at her. "You mean a man such as your illustrious commander?"

Allura lifted an eyebrow and smirked. "Keith has always been ten times the man that you will ever be."

"ENOUGH!" he bellowed then took a breath and lowered his voice. "Bring her to me."

From behind, she felt Deirdre nudge her.

"Not you." he glared at Deirdre. "Guards." He motioned for two of the soldiers to bring the princess forward.

Allura breathed evenly as she walked up the staircase towards him. The trek up the stairs had never seemed so long. As she got closer, with the soldiers still flanking her. Lotor began speaking to Deirdre.

"You are still alive." he said. "How did you manage that?"

Deirdre stood at attention. "I went after the pilot of the Red Lion, as you ordered, My King. I was overpowered, and he escaped with me in my own ship. We crashed on Arus as the Inferno blew up."

"And the pilot? What happened to him?"

Deirdre looked from Lotor to Allura, who now stood next to him, and back again. Then she allowed a small smile to escape her lips. "I killed him, My Liege."

Allura held her breath, silently praying that Lotor would believe Deirdre's blatant lie. The low hum of his internal laughter told her that Deirdre had succeeded.

"Good," Lotor said. "Well done. You have proven yourself quite useful. And I have a feeling that you will continue to do so."

Deirdre's jaw ticked and Allura could tell that she was on the verge of spitting in the monster's face. She swallowed hard. "My loyalties lie only with you, Excellence."

"Yes," he hissed. Then he turned back to Allura. "You see, Allura? Even your own friends have turned against you. Now, will you concede to my power?"

Allura dropped her eyes. "You have taken everything from me. The Voltron Force is gone. My family and friends are gone." She lifted her eyes to meet his. "I would rather die than to rule by your side."

Lotor got to his feet and faced her. "You wound me, Princess. But there is something that you have forgotten. Your own people." He leaned in close so that she could feel his hot breath on her face. "Are you willing to forsake all of your people for your antiquated ideals?"

* * *

><p>"Hey, hey," Lance cooed as they arrived on the scene. "We didn't miss the party, did we?"<p>

"Dummy up, Lance." Keith commanded as he quickly assessed the situation. The news from The Explorer had not been misleading. It was total chaos, and Keith was having trouble distinguishing who was fighting with who. The first thing he saw as they arrived to help was the robeast. The massive horned creature was not only going after the Vehicle Voltron team, but also seemed to be swatting down any Drule fighter that got in its way. At that particular moment, the Earthlings and the Drules were forced to work together against their common enemy. Then he saw the Drule flag ship.

As if reading his thoughts, Jeff chirped in his ear. "Zeppo. That's Zeppo's ship."

"Humph..." Rocky snorted. "Why am I not surprised that he's in the middle of this sorry mess?"

"He's probably working with Lotor to take over Arus." Keith commented. "They both know that Arus is the perfect stronghold for this part of the galaxy. Take Arus, and the rest of the planets will easily fall in line."

Hunk sneered. "Yeah, well, by the way that robeast is kicking the shit out of those Drule fighters, looks like Lotor does not plan on sharing his piece of the pie."

"Glad you guys could make it." Cliff commented as he took another shot at the robeast's head, but nearly getting sliced in two by one of the giant claws.

"Can we get this show on the road?" Lisa chimed in.

"Right." Keith said. "Jeff, take your team and go after those Drule fighters and Zeppo. We'll take the robeast."

"You sure, Keith? It might be easier to take it on together."

"Naw," Lance cut in. "Hagar's robeasts are our specialty."

Keith nodded. "Lance is right. We've got Wade, Zeppo, and Lotor all in one place. If we split up, we have a better chance of ending this."

"You got it." Jeff replied. "Come on, team."

Once Jeff and company were on their way, Keith turned his attention back to the robeast. "Alright, guys, let's make this quick. We still have a castle to take back."

"And a princess to save." Lance added.

Keith gritted his teeth. The one thing that had not left his thoughts since this whole thing began was Allura. She had gone after Lotor alone, and her fate was unknown. So many scenarios ran through his head, and none of them ended well. "Ready to form Voltron!"

* * *

><p>From the bridge of his ship, Zeppo watched the five lions transform into the mighty robot, Voltron, and he began to feel his hold waning. He had been expecting to find The Explorer when he entered Arusian space, and he had prepared accordingly. His fighters had actually been doing quite well against the Vehicle Voltron team, especially with the Air Team gone. What he had not counted on was the damned robeast. Now he had the lions to deal with. Obviously, Lotor had lied about being in control of the lions, and now he had been double-crossed by the Prince of Doom as well. He would make sure that Lotor paid dearly for his deceit.<p>

"Emperor Zeppo," called one of his soldiers. "The Vehicle Voltron team is moving into position to intercept us."

Zeppo closed his eyes for a brief moment as he contemplated his next actions. Two Voltrons and a robeast. He sighed. Sometimes, even a Drule emperor had to know when to cut his losses. "Get us out of here," he ordered.

"Okay," Keith said as Voltron rocketed toward the waiting robeast. "Let's see what this guy's got. Hunk...Sven...give it a go. Sting ray missiles."

The mouths of Yellow and Blue Lions yawned opened, firing missiles. The missiles made a direct hit and bounced off of the robeasts thick skin. In retaliation, the robeast swung his hands around releasing ten claws that flew at them like razor sharp daggers. Keith yanked on the controls pulling Voltron upward, effectively evading all but one. The claw pierced the side of Yellow Lion. Hunk cried out as an energy burst pulsed through the cockpit, then faded as quickly as it began.

"Hunk?" Sven called.

Hunk grimaced. "Yeah, I'm alright. If not a little crispy."

"Alright," Keith said. "Time for something different. Eye beams!"

Two beams of concentrated energy shot from Voltron's eyes, focused on the robeast. Before the beams could reach it, it countered with its own. The two horns on its head glowed red then bridged the energy together in a single ray, flinging it toward Voltron. The two beams met each struggling to overpower the other. The robeast's beam slowly pushed Voltron's back until it finally it struck the head, forcing Voltron backward.

"Damn," Lance said. "That thing's strong."

Realizing that Voltron could not stop the horn rays, the robeast gathered it's energy again and focused it at Voltron once more. Keith barely had time to dodge.

"Keith!" Sven called. "We have to do something about that horn!"

"Right!" Keith agreed. "Lion head attack!"

The heads of all four limbs detached and flew towards the robeast.

"Alright guys," Lance said, "this is going to take some coordination. Sven and Hunk, go in first to get his attention. Pidge, you and I go for the head."

"You got it!" Pidge said.

Sven and Hunk took off full speed at the robeast. As they neared, Hunk went left at its feet, while Sven veered towards its right shoulder. The robeast went for Sven swatting at him as he flew past. Then it saw Hunk and decided that Yellow was not going to get away. As Hunk passed it, the creature spun around to attack, leaving its back vulnerable.

"NOW!" Lance ordered.

Green and Red bolted for the head, Pidge to the left horn, Lance to the right. Before the robeast even knew what was happening, both lion heads snapped the horns in two. The creature bellowed, and Lance couldn't be sure if it was in pain or just really pissed off. He decided the latter when a huge claw came down on him, sending him into another spiral.

"Damn it!" he cried as he straightened out and avoided one more hit as he moved back towards Voltron. "I'm getting a little sick of being tossed around."

"Everyone reattach." Keith ordered. "Let's finish this." Once the heads were back in place, he wasted no time on his next order. "Form Blazing Sword!"

With the sword in hand, Voltron shot up into the air turned at an angle and moved at breakneck speed towards the robeast. With one feel swoop, the sword sliced the creature in two. All five pilots watched with satisfaction as the pieces fell to the earth below.

Keith sat back in his chair and let out a breath even as the adrenaline pumped through his veins. "Nice work, team."

" Nice?" Lance admonished. "That was wicked awesome!"

The rest of them cheered and whooped loudly. Even Keith could not hide the small smile that crept across his lips.

"Keith." Jeff's voice came over the comm.

"We're here, Jeff. How are things going on your end?"

There was a brief pause. "Zeppo got away. He turned and made a run for it as soon as he realized that the robeast was not on his side."

"Well, that's typical Drule behavior." Hunk commented.

While letting Zeppo get away was not Keith's first idea of success, having the Drule emperor and his fleet out of the way would simplify things greatly.

"Keith," Sven called to him. "I just received a message from Romelle. They are in position to take the castle from the ground."

The castle. Keith's thoughts went back to Allura. She was still in there with Lotor. "Okay, let's get down there and help. Jeff, can your team take out whatever fighters Lotor may have protecting the castle?"

"You got it, Keith."

Keith nodded and turned his attention back to his own team. "What do you say, boys? You ready to storm a castle?"

"Hell yes!" seemed to be the general consensus.

"Let's get going!"

* * *

><p>Wade was enraged as he watched the battle from the bridge of The Explorer. How in the hell could things have taken such a turn? Once Lotor had the castle, everything should have fallen into place easily. Lotor had assured Wade that the pilots would be taken care of when he arrived. Then it was only a matter of using Vehicle Voltron to take out the Drule king. But the arrogant fool had overplayed his hand. The Lion Voltron force was obviously not dead. "Damn it!" he growled, banging his hands on the arm of the captain's chair.<p>

Everything he had done up until that moment had been to keep the plan in place. He had ordered the hit on Graham, framed the Commander and his team for the murder, and even arranged for Lotor to escape. He had gone against every principle that he had at one time held in the highest regard, and made an unholy alliance with Zeppo and Lotor. For what? Zeppo, the damn coward, had fled, and Lotor was slowly losing all control he had over Arus.

Wade let out a slow breath and tried to put things into perspective. He was still in command at Garrison. That had to count for something. When this travesty was over, he would simply go back to Earth and regroup. Regardless of what happened to Lotor, Zeppo was still out there, which meant that the war could continue indefinitely. After all, that had been his whole plan all along. The last thing that he wanted was for the Drules to concede. The military budget would get cut, and Wade would simply fade into the background. He would not let that happen.

Wade templed his fingers and allowed himself a small smile of satisfaction as he watched Lion Voltron finish off the robeast. No matter what happened next, he would see to it that he came out on top. He might even receive special recognition by the Alliance for tracking down Lotor and saving Arus from certain doom. Yes, that's how he intended for it to play out.

* * *

><p>"Go, go go!" Keith commanded the troops behind him. He stood aside as the armed men rushed passed him into the courtyard of the castle. The sounds of gun fire could be heard from within the walls.<p>

They had met up with Romelle and her soldiers just outside the castle gates. He was not surprised that she had brought her best forces to help overthrow the Drules that had invaded Arus. What he had not expected was the number of Arusians that had left the safety of the caves to offer assistance. They were by no means trained soldiers, but Keith knew that they would lay down their lives for Arus and their princess.

_Allura._ Where in the castle could she be? She had told him long ago about the secret passages that ran throughout the castle. He also knew that nobody knew them better than she did. He hoped against hope that she had been able to keep herself off of Lotor's radar. He felt the familiar rage bubble up as he thought about the dark prince, as images from the Inferno clouded his mind. It had not been Allura in those images, but that didn't make the whole affair any less heinous. Deirdre had made the sacrifice, and Keith would be damned if he would let that sacrifice be in vain. He would find Lotor. He would be the one to finish the prince for good. There would be no chains this time. No second chances. No mercy. This time, Lotor would die.

"Hey," Lance grabbed his arm. "You still with us?"

Keith shook away the thoughts. "Yeah."

"Don't worry about her." Lance said knowingly, slapping his shoulder. "She was trained by the best. Us."

Keith nodded and turned as Romelle and Sven approached. "Is the courtyard clear?"

"All clear." Sven answered. "The troops have moved in to clear out the rest of Lotor's forces. It shouldn't be too long now."

"Good. You three take Pidge and Hunk, spread out and eliminate any threats."

Romelle and Sven nodded and turned to leave.

"What about you?" Lance asked, although he was pretty sure that he knew the answer.

Keith narrowed his eyes. "I'm going to find Lotor." Without explanation, he walked with purpose toward the open gates. He could feel Lance on his heels.

"Do you know where he is?"

"If I know Lotor as well as I think I do, he'll be in the throne room."

"Yeah, well, you better hope that you get to him before I do." Lance said, falling into step with him.

Keith was going to order him down, but only had to take one look at his friend's expression to know that it would be fruitless. Lance wore the pain and hatred of everything that Lotor had done etched on his face. And while he knew that Lance would never openly admit it, his vendetta was the same as his own. For Allura, for Deidre, and for Arus. Then and there, they made a silent pact. One of them was going to be leaving the throne room with Lotor's blood on his hands.

* * *

><p>Allura stood rigid as she faced off against Lotor. "You know nothing about my people." She turned away from him.<p>

Lotor snickered. "I know that they are your ultimate weakness." He moved closer until he was directly behind. Brushing her hair away from her ear, he leaned in. "Especially now that your precious commander is dead."

Allura held her breath. She wanted nothing more than to laugh in his face and tell him how wrong he really was. Keith was alive, and he was going to save her planet from the Drules tyrannical rule. But she couldn't. Not yet. For now, she had to continue to play along. She lowered her voice. "How can you be so cruel, Lotor?"

He grinned maniacally. "Because that's how you get what you want in the real world, My Princess."

She thought that he was going to say more, but he was interrupted when the blaster fire from outside rang out through the Great Hall.

"Your Majesty!" a voice from Lotor's comm called.

"WHAT?" he growled.

"Um, we have a situation, Sire." The man on the other end paused.

"Well? Spit it out!"

"The Voltron Force is alive, Your Majesty. They have destroyed the witch's robeast, and now they are attacking the castle."

Lotor felt the air being sucked out the room. The Voltron Force? Alive? It was not possible. The commander had been incapacitated and in chains when the ship had gone down. How could he have possibly escaped? Had Allura known all along? He spun her around to face him only to stare into the sly grin that had found her lips. No! NO! They could not have formed Voltron! The pilot of the Red Lion...was dead. Realization washed over him when he looked down at the bottom of the stairs where Deirdre still stood.

"YOU!" he shouted. "YOU DARE TO BETRAY ME? GUARDS!"

Before the guards to even attempt to obey, Deirdre brandished her assault rifle and, with six well placed bullets, took out all of Lotor's soldiers.

Lotor went numb as his brain struggled to process the events. Then, he felt it. The sudden searing pain. He glanced down to see the hilt and half the blade of a dagger sticking out of his side. And the hands. The hands that he knew was well as he knew his own. The hands that he had envisioned over and over again. Touching him. Caressing him. He looked up into Allura's eyes. There was no smirk in her expression, no hint of jest. In her face, he saw only pure hatred.

"You will never have my father's throne, Lotor." Allura watched the shock and awe flood Lotor's face, and it almost made her giddy. The feeling of his burning blood spilling over her hands gave her an strange feeling of being cleansed. Baptism. Her heart pounded in her chest. He was hers now. But she was not ready for it to be over. Not yet. She still had many things to say to him.

She edged the blade in a little further and leaned in close. "That is for my father and my mother," she said quietly. Then she pushed again on the hilt. "That is for Keith and all of my friends. And this," She took no care as she jammed the blade to the hilt into his side. "This is for Arus."

Lotor's eyes widened and then he coughed violently, spewing blood down the front of Allura's tunic. He dropped to his knees, grabbing her for support. She could only look down on him, feeling nothing, as she stepped out of his grasp. The life slowly faded from his eyes as he finally laid down and died.

**Well, damn! Quite a bit of stuff going on this time around. This chapter was a real struggle to write, and I hope that everything was manageable from a reader's perspective, because writing it certainly gave me a headache more than once. Please let me know your thoughts. They are very important to helping me improve. Thanks for reading :)**


	25. Chapter 25

**Took a minute to get this puppy up and running, but I'm pleased with how it turned out. Please R/R. Remember, your thoughts and comments are always appreciated and helpful. Thanks for reading. Enjoy!**

Allura had always wondered what it would be like to kill someone with her hands. She had taken out countless numbers of Zarkon's soldiers in Blue Lion. But they had been at war. She had never seen their faces – never felt the blood drain from their body. Now, she stared at Lotor's lifeless body lying prone on the floor before her. His normally vibrant blue skin had already began to fade into a gruesome gray color. His eyes were open, but stared at nothing. And there was the blood. The pool of red continued to spread across the marble floor as the last of Lotor's blood drained away. Allura wanted to look away, but she couldn't. She had always assumed that killing someone would provoke some emotional response. But she felt nothing. Nothing but numbness.

The sounds around her crept into her consciousness, slowly bringing her attention back to her surroundings. She was acutely aware of movement in the distance. The muted sounds of guns firing over and over, and boots running through the corridors thumping mercilessly in her brain. What started as far away, indistinguishable noises in her head, suddenly became louder as they came into focus.

"Allura, are you okay?"

It was Deirdre. Allura had all but forgotten that she was not alone. She turned and gave a weak smile before she nodded. At that moment, she wasn't really sure if she was okay or not, but there were more important things to worry about. She glanced once more at Lotor before taking the first steps toward the bottom of the throne room. She would deal with the aftermath when she had her kingdom back.

Deirdre met her at the bottom of the stairs and gave her a once over before smiling thinly. It was then that Allura realized how she must look. Glancing down at her tunic, she saw splatters of deep red liquid that had already begun to soak into the fabric. Lotor's blood traveled the length of her sleeves only to stop as broad smears that covered her hands. It was a terrifying sight.

The blood curdling wail that echoed throughout the Great Hall, caused both women to snapped their heads upward, focusing on the top of the staircase. Hagar hovered briefly over Lotor's body, before throwing herself down over his lifeless corpse. She grabbed the front of his tunic and shook him as if she could raise him from the dead. "Lotor! You fool! I told you that woman would be the death of you!" she screeched at him.

Allura instinctively reached for her blaster only to find the holster empty. She had relinquished her firearm to Deirdre when they had been discovered by Lotor's soldiers. Deirdre, on the other hand, already had hers drawn. They waited to see what the witch would do next. The wait was brief.

Hagar's attention immediately turned to them. "YOU! I WILL DESTROY YOU!" she bellowed, rising to her full height. She lifted her staff above her head. The orb that rested atop came to life, emanating a dark green light.

Allura cringed. She knew what was coming next. She also knew that there was no way that they could could get to the entrance of the room before Hagar thrust all of her anger in the form of dark energy at them. Then something happened that Allura was not expecting. Deirdre took a step forward and pushed Allura behind her.

"Get behind me!" she said.

There would be debates later about what really happened next, but Allura closed her eyes tightly as Hagar unleashed her power at them. The inevitable never came. Looking up, Allura saw Hagar's beam had stalled only feet from them. In front of her, Deirdre's entire body glowed with a blinding white light. A light that Allura recognized. An equally bright shield of pure energy had manifested itself from Deirdre's torso, spreading out before them, blocking Hagar's magic from reaching them. Hagar screeched loudly, summoning more power. It could not break through the shield. Finally, the witch yanked her staff back. The green light disappeared. At the same moment, Deirdre's shield dissipated, and she fell to her knees, exhausted.

While she didn't think anything could possibly surprise her any further at that moment, Allura witnessed something that she had never dreamed in a million years was possible. Staring up at the throne, Allura saw Hagar's red eyes widen. And there she saw fear. Hagar was irrepressibly afraid. The witch dropped to the ground, covered Lotor's body with her own once more, and they both vanished.

Allura knelt beside Deirdre. "Are you alright?" Beads of sweat had formed on her brow and her skin seemed to be devoid of all color, but she appeared to be lucid.

She nodded. "Yes, I think so."

"What happened?" Allura asked.

Deirdre swallowed hard. Her mouth was incredibly dry. "I have no idea."

More fire could be heard outside.

"Come on." Allura picked up Deirdre's blaster, wrapped Deirdre's arm around her neck and helped her stand. With Allura supporting part of Deirdre's weight, the two of them limped towards the door.

Just outside the throne room, Keith and Lance flanked the heavy, wooden doors on either side. Lance, as was his way, wanted to go in guns blazing, but Keith had warned him to be cautious. They had argued of course. In the end, neither got his way. They jumped back, blasters drawn, as the doors creaked open.

"Allura! Deirdre!" Lance croaked as the two women stared at them from the doorway.

Keith gave them both a once over. Allura was struggling to support an obviously weakened Deirdre, but they both looked like they were no worse for wear. While seeing that the pair was safe was a relief, Keith's hardened expression was unmistakable. He still had a mission. He narrowed his eyes at them. "Where's Lotor?"

The women glanced at each other briefly before Deirdre spoke. "Lotor's dead," she said hoarsely.

"Dead?" Lance blurted out. Both women nodded. His gaze locked onto Deirdre. "How did you...?"

Deirdre said nothing, but shook her head and looked to Allura, who dropped her gaze to the ground.

Keith's jaw ticked as his brain processed the information. The monster that he had come to kill was already dead, and, if Keith was being honest with himself, he really didn't know how to feel at that moment. He watched Allura who continued to watch the ground, refusing to make eye contact.

"Alright, Allura!" Lance was cooing. "You wasted the bastard!"

"Lance," Keith silenced him with a stern voice. When he turned to Allura, his tone softened. "Where's the body?"

"Hagar took it," Allura said.

Keith raised an eyebrow. "Hagar?"

The princess nodded. "She took Lotor's body and disappeared. But not before she tried to kill us. If it hadn't been for Deirdre..."

Deirdre interrupted. "That's a story for another time."

An unspoken moment passed between the women. A moment that neither Keith nor Lance missed. There would be time for talk later.

"Yes," Allura said. "we need to get her to Dr. Gorma."

"Right," Lance agreed moving to help them. "Why don't you let me take her off your hands," he offered, taking Deirdre's weight from Allura. He pulled her arm around his shoulders and snaked his other arm around her waist for support. "I know that she can be a burden sometimes."

With her free arm, Deirdre punched him weakly in the arm. "Stop being a dick."

Lance beamed at her. "It's good to have you back, Dee."

With Deirdre no longer leaning on the princess, Keith was able for the first time to see the blood smears on Allura's tunic. With two great strides, he went to her. "Allura, are you...?"

She shook her head. "It's not my blood," she said quickly.

Realization struck Keith as his gaze followed the deep red trails on her tunic to her bloody hands. This had not been a simple case of taking Lotor out with a blaster from a distance. Allura had been up close when she killed him. It had been very personal for her, and now she had Lotor's blood on her hands. He understood now as memories of the first time he had killed someone with his bare hands flooded his thoughts.

Keith had just been recruited to join the Spec Ops within Galaxy Garrison. He was barely out of the academy. His first mission was to free a group of Drule revolutionaries that were being held by Emperor Zeppo. They were scheduled to be executed – to be made into totems of what happened when someone crossed the leader of the Drules. It was supposed to be an easy, search and rescue, but of course, nothing is ever that simple. Being young and naive, Keith truly believed that the Drules would welcome them as great emancipators. It was not the case. Keith had been disarmed by one of Zeppo's officers, and was forced to fight for his life. He had snapped the man's neck in two with his bare hands. He would never forget that moment in time. Nor would he forget the aftermath. It had taken him weeks to come to terms with what he had done.

He watched Allura a moment longer. Unlike himself, she was not a trained soldier. She had never been prepared for the eventuality that she may have to someday take another's life. He gritted his teeth. That was on him. He should have readied her for such an event. In the back of his mind, however, he knew why the topic had never come up. Foolishly, he had hoped against hope that he would be able to protect her from it.

He reached down to take her hands in his own, ignoring the still fresh blood on her fingers as it smeared onto his own hands. She would not bear the burden alone. Lotor's death was on both of them. Allura finally met his gaze, and he could see the distance in her blue eyes even as she gave him weak smile. Her mind was still in shock. It would take Allura some time before she truly processed the recent events. He would make sure that she had all of the support that she needed.

"The castle," she finally said. "Keith, we have to get the soldiers out of the castle."

"Shh..." he soothed. "Romelle, Sven, and Richie have it covered."

A loud roar of cheers from outside echoed through the corridors of the castle.

"What was that?" Allura wondered.

Keith shared a smile with Lance before turning it to her. "Come and see for yourself, Your Highness." He dropped a hand, but kept the other secure in his own as he turned to lead her outside.

Allura blinked at him. It was a rare occasion that Keith called her Highness, usually reserved for snarky remarks when he was upset with her. But there was no hint of sarcasm or anger with her. He was simply showing respect for her station. She nodded and allowed him to lead.

The afternoon sun blinded Allura as Keith led her outside to the courtyard. The scene she saw when she looked out from the landing took her breath away. Almost two hundred of the villagers from the surrounding areas were gathered in front of the castle. Some carried guns and some had crudely made swords and farm tools. They all held their weapons high chanting loudly.

"Long live Princess Allura! Long live the Voltron Force!"

Keith leaned closer to her. "Your people came to fight for you, Allura. They came to fight for Arus."

She looked up at him, and he saw the tears brimming her eyes. He smiled broadly at her, then nodded back to the crowd whose chants had faded into silence.

Allura took a breath and swallowed hard. They were waiting for her to address them.

"Come on, Allura." Lance smirked as he shifted Deirdre's weight. "I've never known you to be at a loss for words."

It was true. From the moment she had learned to talk, she had been groomed to give addresses in front of large audiences. Now, she found all that training failed her – that she had no idea what to say to her people. They had come out of hiding to defend their own way of life. There did not seem to be anything that she could say that would translate how grateful she was to them. So, she decided to keep it short and simple. She raised her fist into the air and shouted, "Long live Arus!"

The crowd erupted once again into thunderous applause. "Now, everyone go home and find your loved ones. Tell them that you have freed Arus from the Drules!"

The crowd chattered loudly as they began to disperse.

"Allura!"

The princess scanned the crowd until she saw her cousin, Romelle running towards her. The two women hugged each other tightly, both laughing and crying at the same time.

"We did it, cousin!" Romelle cried.

Allura couldn't find the words to reply. Instead, she just squeezed Romelle tighter and for the first time in as long as she could remember, she breathed free. When she finally opened her eyes, she saw Sven and Pidge approaching, both supporting an injured Hunk between them. Allura released Romelle and went to them.

"Hunk!"

"Awww...it's just a flesh wound." he said. He turned slightly to show her the bloody patch on his thigh. "And if these two mother hens would let go..." He shrugged Pidge and Sven away from him to prove his point, only to stumble slightly as his leg gave in to the pressure. He quickly regained his composure and stood tall, thrusting his chest out. "See?"

Allura smiled at him. "Rebeka will be relieved, but you still need to get patched up."

"I think that we could all use a once over." Keith said, glancing at Allura. He was still concerned with her mental state. "Pidge, you go to the bunkers and get Dr. Gorma. And let everyone else know that it's safe to come up. We'll get Hunk and Deirdre to the medical bay."

"You got it, Keith!" Pidge said. He took off at full speed back into the castle.

"Commander."

Keith frowned even before he turned to face the voice that had addressed him. Wade was making his way up the steps to the landing, flanked by the Vehicle Voltron Force. He could not see the Explorer or any of the other ships, and wondered idly when and where they had docked. Swallowing every once of contempt he held for the man, Keith nodded appropriately to the ranking officer. "Sky Marshal Wade."

Wade also seemed to be holding something back as he gave a thin smile that was almost completely hidden by his graying mustache. "Congratulations, Commander." He eyes drifted to Allura who stood just behind Keith. "And to you as well, Your Highness. That was an amazing show of strength and courage."

Behind her, Allura was sure that she heard Lance grunt with disgust – a feeling that she shared – and she made no move to return Wade's gesture. "Thank you, Sky Marshal." She glanced behind him and did entreat the Vehicle Voltron Force to a small smile of gratitude. "And my thanks to all of you. Your bravery has helped to save my planet. I will always be indebted you."

"We have come to collect Lotor, Your Highness. I assume that he has been captured?" Wade cut in.

Allura stared at the Sky Marshal. She knew that eventually she would have to tell them what had happened, but at that moment, she could not find the words.

"Lotor's dead." Keith spoke for her, taking a half a step in front of her.

If Wade had held any reaction upon the hearing the news, he did not show it. In fact, Keith noticed, the man's face was as set in stone as he had ever seen it. "Is that so?"

"Yes, Sir," Keith continued.

Wade rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Very well. We will take the body back to Earth. The Alliance will want proof of your claim."

"The body is gone, Sir." Keith answered with no emotion. "The witch, Hagar, took it and disappeared."

"Really?" Wade narrowed his eyes, first at Keith and then at Allura. "Well, then, I will have to personally interview all of those involved in his demise. I must have something to report back to the Alliance. I am sure that they will want to know for sure that Lotor is no longer a threat."

Keith nodded. "Of course." He felt Allura grip his arm tightly. "But it will have to wait, Sir. We have wounded soldiers that need to be cared for." Without waiting for Wade to answer, he turned to the injured Hunk and Lance, who supported the half conscious Deirdre. "Hunk, help Lance get Deirdre to the med bay. Wait for Dr. Gorma there."

Both men looked at him wide eyed, and Keith knew that neither wanted to leave him alone to go against Wade. They were loyal to the end, and that could prove to be their downfall. "That's an order," he said simply, before either could argue. He was pleased when both of them dropped their gaze, nodded respectively to their commander, and disappeared from the landing through the doors of the castle.

Something in Wade's expression told Keith that the Sky Marshal was none too pleased to be put on the back burner. Keith really didn't care at that moment. He was not about to expose Allura to Wade's brand of interviewing.

Wade, however, was not planning on letting the Commander get the last word. "Then there is the matter of taking you and your men into custody." He glanced behind Allura. "That includes you, Holgersson." Romelle gasped and grabbed Sven's hand who had to this point been standing passively by watching the proceedings.

"What?!" Allura cried out. The world was wavering beneath her feet. Now, at the hour of their victory over the Drules, everything seemed to be falling apart again. Allura felt sick to her stomach. She swallowed hard, trying to comprehend what he was saying.

"Yes, Your Majesty. I am sure that you are well aware that the Commander and his subordinates are still wanted for questioning in the murder of General Graham. We will be escorting then back to Earth for a formal hearing."

"You will not be taking them anywhere, Sky Marshal."

Everyone turned to the new voice on the landing. Coran stood in the entrance of the castle with Pidge by his side. "These men have been granted asylum by the ruling monarchy of Arus." He made the briefest eye contact with Allura who only stared at him. He nodded to her.

_Yes, _she thought. _Maybe there was a way out of this._ The sickly feeling in her gut began to turn to anger, and she forced the anguish that threatened to consume her to the far recesses of her thoughts. She would be damned if she was going to let Wade take them back to Earth to face what no doubt would be his own version of justice. Taking a deep breath to clear her thoughts, she eased the grip that she still had on Keith's arm, squared her frame, and moved to stand shoulder to shoulder with the commander. "Yes, these men are now under the protection of Arus."

She gave him a hardened glare as she waited for his reply. His response wasn't what she had been expecting. He merely smirked at her.

"That would be true, if they were not soldiers in Galaxy Garrison, Your Highness. The only way that they could accept asylum from you would be to relinquish their commissions with Garrison. They would all be stripped of their ranks and considered deserters from the military."

Allura glanced at Keith. His face was set in stone, and it was impossible to read what he was thinking. She wanted him to say something – do something. Get angry. She couldn't believe that he could just stand there and be railroaded by Wade. She wanted him to fight for himself and his team. But he said nothing.

"Is what he saying true, Sven?" Romelle pleaded with him.

"Yes, my love, I'm afraid it is," he answered, pulling her close to him.

"And," Wade continued, "if they were ever to return to Earth, they would be arrested on sight and thrown into jail for treason. A charge that carries a maximum of a life sentence." He paused to let them process the information. He was obviously pleased to have them right where he wanted them.

"Screw you, Wade!" Everyone turned toward the sudden outburst from the normally reserved Pidge, still standing by Coran in the doorway. "You know we didn't kill Graham!"

"A court will make that decision." Wade said. "Now, you will find that I am not completely heartless."

"Yeah, right." Sven snorted under his breath but just loud enough for all to hear.

Wade purposely ignored him. "I will give them time to make their decision." He turned his attention back to Keith. "Tend to your wounded. Think it over. We will be leaving Arus in three days. You will either come willingly to stand trial," he paused and allowed himself a sinister smile, "or you will stay on Arus as traitors to everything to which you pledged your loyalties. I will be waiting on The Explorer for your answer."

With a demonstrative flourish, he turned on his heel and marched down the stairs, followed by the Vehicle Voltron team. Only Jeff stayed behind. He approached Keith.

"I'm sorry it has to go down this way, brother, but there's nothing I can do to help you anymore," he said. Keith only stared past him, refusing to let him off the hook. Jeff understood and turned to follow his team. He paused on the steps and looked back. "Come back with us. Prove that you're innocent," he appealed to them once more.

"Aw suck it, Jeff." Pidge came at him. "You know as well as we do that Wade's probably got a mountain of evidence against us. There's no way we're getting out of this."

Sven nodded. "Yeah, go on back to your ship, whipping boy."

A look of deep sadness and regret crossed Jeff's face as left them standing on the landing.

Allura stood speechless as she watched him leave. How could things have gone so wrong so quickly? She looked at Keith who was lost in his own thoughts. This time she could clearly see that Wade's words were hanging heavy on his mind. She wondered what he was thinking, but too afraid to ask outright.

As it turned out, she didn't have to say anything. Coran approached and spoke. "Commander, you've been awfully quiet. Do you have a plan of action?"

With an unreadable veil back in place, Keith simply turned to look at him. "I have to check on Hunk and Deirdre." With that, he turned and disappeared into the castle, leaving them with little else to do but watch him go.


	26. Chapter 26

**Happy Holidays everyone! I do hope everyone is well this season. One of my resolutions for 2014 was to finish this bad boy and be done with it. Seeing that the new year is right around the corner, I decided that the other projects that had taken priority should be put on the back burner, so I could finish. Mission accomplished! I proudly present to you the last chapters of Band on the Run all together in one shot. WHOO HOO! **

**I hope you have enjoyed this journey with me as much as I have enjoyed writing it. Thank you so much to everyone who has stuck with me (even when I appeared to disappear at times, lol) and leaving me feedback. It has really meant the world to me.**

**Okay, I will shut up now so that you can get to reading. Enjoy!**

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><p>The Castle of Lions was eerily quite as the sun set over the Arus landscape, casting deep hues of purples and blues over the darkening sky. Most of the residents of the castle had retired for the evening, laying down in their own beds, looking forward to the early morning when they could wake without the constant fear of invasion looming in their thoughts. While no one in the castle really made an issue of it – and tried to keep their spirits up as best they could – the fear had lingered over them all the way back to the first invasion of the Drules when King Alfor sat on the throne. Even when the young space explorers had literally landed on their doorstep, most living in castle, and all living outside the walls, still harbored that fear. Voltron had kept them safe for the most part, but the constant threat of attack never really went away. Not with Lotor still casting his gaze on controlling Voltron and Arus. Would they ever be able to go back to living the peaceful lives that they had enjoyed before Zarkon and Lotor's tyranny? Or would they still look over their shoulders in fear, waiting for the day when they would be at war again?<p>

These thoughts weighed heavily on Allura as she tossed in her own bed. She stared at her chamber ceiling, trying to make out the various shadows that created blotted images across the room. It all seemed so pointless, she thought. She should be pouring over Arusian law books, trying to find an answer for the men that she held in such high regard. After all they were more than just her saviors, they were her family. She should be doing doing everything in her power to help them. As it was, she had been ordered by Dr. Gorma to get some rest. He had even threatened her with sedation. Nanny, now more overprotective than ever, had stayed one step behind her all the way back to her bed chamber.

She sighed loudly as she rolled to her side, roughly tucking her pillow under her head. It wouldn't surprise her in the least if Nanny and Coran hadn't posted a full security detail outside of her door. She hadn't really seen much of the others since Coran had whisked her from the landing outside the castle to the med bay to be poked and prodded by the doctors. The only news she got was from the kind nurses who gave her what information they could.

Hunk was patched up and doing well, and, barring any infection, would be back on his feet in no time. Everyone else had received a clean bill of health with the incidental bumps and bruises. Everyone except Deirdre. Deirdre was still in the med bay for observation. Dr. Gorma was still at a loss as to her condition. He still had no idea how she had miraculously returned from the dead, or any explanation for any of the mysterious feats that she had performed since she had returned from her time on the Inferno.

Allura's mind flashed back to the Great Hall. Slices of memory strayed into her thoughts like a gale force wind. There were no stopping them. She could feel the warm blood dripping down her hands. She could see the life drain out of Lotor's eyes as he lay at her feet. Hagar screaming. The powerful shield that had manifested itself to save her and Deirdre from the witch's rage.

Allura involuntarily jerked in bed causing her nightgown to twist around her legs. Angrily, she threw the covers aside and wrestled with the irritating fabric, finally launching herself from the bed to let the gown untangle itself around her ankles. She drew in a frustrated breath and willed her brain to find some answers to her predicament.

Finally deciding with a huff that sleep would not come, she snatched up the robe laying at the foot of her bed and slid into it. She stuck her head out the door and, relieved to find that there were no guards posted in the hallway, she slipped into the corridor and walked quickly in the direction of the medical facility.

The infirmary was located on the second floor of the castle – three floors down from her bed chambers – and she was grateful that she didn't run into anyone else on her way down on the lift. As she walked purposefully down the corridor, she saw Pidge walking toward her away from the infirmary. His head was down and he appeared to be completely lost in whatever was on his hand held computer. He was so engrossed that he nearly ran right into her. She stepped aside quickly, so that he only shouldered her lightly.

"Sorry, Princess," he said, not looking up and continuing on his path.

Allura stopped and turned. "Pidge," she called.

As if his brain finally registered her presence, he glanced back at her.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Oh, yeah, just working on some stuff," he answered vaguely.

She raised an eyebrow skeptically. Pidge only had that concentrated look on his face when he was working on something very important. It did not appear that he wanted to share the information, so she didn't pursue it. She simply asked, "Are you coming from the med bay?"

He only nodded, trying very hard not to glance down at the lit up screen in his hand.

"Is there any news?" she asked pointedly, mildly irritated at his distraction.

"Nothing yet. Lance and Richie are still with Deirdre."

"Okay, thanks."

"No problem," he said quickly, and, turning his attention back to the device, he was back on track to his destination – wherever that might be.

"See you later," she called after him.

"Yep." he waved without looking back.

Allura inhaled a deep breath and started back on her own path. When she arrived in the medical bay, she found that Pidge had been right. The room was quiet save for the low hum and occasional beeps from the machines that were hooked up from the sleeping Deirdre. Even with lights set very low, she could make out a figure on the other side of the room. On the far side of the bed, by the window, Richie was asleep, his large frame was sprawled uncomfortably in a chair that was clearly too small for him with his hands folded neatly across his stomach. If the situation had not been so somber, the sight would have been comical.

Walking to the foot of the bed, Allura watched Deirdre's breathing. There were still so many unanswered questions. As far as she knew, Deirdre was nothing more than a run of mill humanoid. No one had ever mentioned that she had any kind of magical powers, and the team had been genuinely stunned at the powers that she had manifested. So, how had she been able to activate the main core of the castle? What was her connection with the lions? And how in the hell did she managed to ward off Hagar's powerful dark magic? Allura rubbed the bridge of her nose, feeling the beginning of a headache seeping into her head.

She was glad when the sound of someone clearing their throat silenced the confusion. Lance was standing in the doorway, holding a cup in each hand.

"Coffee," he said, offering her one. "I brought it for Richie, but it appears that it wouldn't do him any good."

Allura gave him a weak smile and accepted the steaming cup. "Thank you." She took a drink and relished the near scalding sensation as the liquid traveled down her throat. "No change?"

Lance took his own sip and sat down in the chair next to the bed. "She woke up for a few minutes. Said she felt fine. Then she got pissed because Gorma told her that she had to stay overnight for some tests. So, he sedated her." He let a small laugh slip out. "If Gorma thought she was a handful tonight, wait til he gets a load of her in the morning."

"Why are the two of you here? Shouldn't you get some rest?"

He shrugged. "Couldn't sleep. And from the looks of it," he regarded her with a raised eyebrow, "insomnia seems to be going around."

She nodded and sat gingerly on the bed so she could face him. "I guess it is. Have you seen Keith?"

He shook his head. "Not since earlier." He paused to take another sip of coffee. "You know how he is. Probably holed up somewhere, banging his head against a wall, trying to figure out a way to get us out of this sorry mess. That's how he copes." He watched her for a moment before setting his cup on a nearby table and rising to stand in front of her. "Speaking of coping, how are you doing?"

Allura blushed slightly. He knew what had her awake at the late hour. "Am I that easy to read?"

He shrugged. "After everything that you've been through, it's not really surprising that you can't sleep." He reached up to tuck a stray hair behind her ear. "Listen, we've all been there Allura. We've all had that first time, and anyone who isn't a cold hearted son of bitch is affected by it." He paused, as if remembering some distant memory. "It changes you a little bit."

Allura looked down at her hands as tears began to brim in her eyes and was grateful that the lights were so low.

In an uncharacteristically gentle manner, Lance took her face in his hands to lift her eyes to meet his. "Hey, if you ever want to talk about it, you know we're all here for you. Me, Keith, Hunk, Pidge..." She nodded. "When you're ready," he added.

"C-can I just sit here with you for a little while?" she asked in a small voice.

Lance gave her a broad smile. "Of course." He left her to pull another chair next to his own.

Allura sat next to him and reached over to take his hand that was resting on the arm of the chair. Without needing to ask, she laid her head gently on his shoulder. There was no need to say more. They both sat into the night lulled into silence by the low hum of the machines.

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><p>Lance's eyes burned as the early morning penetrated his eyelids begging him for just a few more minutes of rest. Adversely, his back and neck were screaming at him to move. He finally opened his eyes and focused on his surroundings. The beige walls and low beeps of the monitors told him that he had fallen asleep in the chair in Deirdre's room. A heavy movement on his shoulder prompted him to glance down only then to notice the fair haired princess resting comfortably on him, still holding his hand. Shit, he thought. How long had they been sleeping there like that? And a more important question was who had seen them?<p>

Lance tried to straighten himself up, jarring Allura, who stirred. She blinked up at him, obviously trying to figure out where she was and how she had gotten there. When clarity came, she sat upright, promptly dropping Lance's hand. He chuckled. "Good morning."

She smiled sheepishly at him. "Is it morning already?"

He nodded toward the window. "It appears so. But I have no idea what time it is."

Allura stood up, stretching her arms over her head, and glanced at the clock on the wall. "Oh! It's five o'clock!" she squealed, securing her robe around her. "I better get back to my room before someone notices that I'm gone."

"Someone meaning Nanny." Lance clucked his tongue at her. "When are you going to stop worrying about what Nanny thinks, Allura? You are an adult, after all."

They both looked toward the window when Richie groaned loudly and tried to turn over in the small chair that he occupied.

Allura narrowed his eyes at Lance and lowered her voice. "For your information, I don't care what she thinks. But now is not the time to go on some rebellious tirade. I would rather just keep the peace for the time being, if it's all the same to you."

"Fine by me." Standing up straight, Lance mimicked her stretch only to grimace when the muscle in his neck caught suddenly. "Ow," he complained, rubbing it gently. He glanced at Allura who was still watching him. "Well, get going."

She turned on her heel to leave only to run right into Keith as he entered. He grabbed her arms to steady her. "Oh sorry, Keith." She purposefully walked around him, stopping only to glance at him. "You never saw me here." she whispered before continuing on her way.

"What?" Keith looked thoroughly confused.

Lance snorted to keep himself from laughing out loud, earning him a scowl from the princess as she disappeared around the corner.

Keith shook his head. "What was that all about?" Lance shrugged innocently. Then something registered on Keith's face. "Were you guys here all night?"

They both glanced down at the two chairs sitting side by side. "Uh, yeah, I guess we were. We just stayed up talking mostly. We must have fallen asleep." He smiled, well aware what he was getting himself into by his admission, which was confirmed when Keith narrowed his eyes at him, but for some reason, he couldn't help needling him when he got the chance.

Keith looked as if he was going to say something but was interrupted when Richie spoke. "Hey, can you keep it down, you ingrates?" He stretched in his chair nearly falling out of it in the process.

Lance crossed his arms. "You have your own room, you know," he said pointedly.

Richie got to his feet and wrinkled his nose. "So do you."

"Aright, you two, cut it out." Keith commanded.

"Yeah, yeah," Richie murmured as he crossed the room to leave. Lance grabbed his arm. "Hey, I'll give you a call if I hear anything." Richie's expression softened and he simply nodded and left.

"Well, that's certainly a change from the two of you wanting to bash each other's heads in." Keith commented.

Lance rubbed the back of his neck again. "Yeah, well, I think we've come to an understanding." There was no need to fill Keith in what that understanding was. He already knew. "How's she doing?"

"Why don't you ask her yourself?" came a voice from the bed. They both turned to see Deirdre staring at them sleepily.

Lance grinned at her. "Hey, you're awake."

"Congratulations, Captain Obvious." she sneered. "What are you two doing in here?"

"Just checking up on you." Keith said, trying to be cheery.

"Watching me sleep? Kinda creepy, guys." She tried to sit up but only got tangled up in the wires attached to her. "As you can see, I'm fine. If someone would get me some coffee..." she struggled with the lines hooked up to her hands. "and get these damn things off of me so I can go to the bathroom, I will be even better."

Both men blinked at her. "Uh, okay," said Keith, "we'll go get a nurse. Come on, Lance, I need to talk to you anyway." He turned and ushered Lance out the door.

"Can I at least get something to eat?" Lance was begging as they left. "I'm starving."

"Tell someone to bring me some coffee!" Deirdre called after them.

It was only a few weeks after their arrival on Arus that the team had decided that they did not much like eating in the royal dining room. It was too large, and having the castle staff waiting on them hand and foot was a little disconcerting for most of them. So, Allura had convinced Nanny to let them have their meals in the rec room where there was a small table and a kitchenette. Since Nanny had never found it appropriate for the boys to be eating in the dining hall reserved for royals, she was more than happy to provide them with baked goods and the occasional hot meal for breakfast. Of course, she threw a tantrum when Allura had decided that she wanted to dine with her teammates, but the princess quashed that when she agreed that the dining hall would be used for special occasions.

When Lance arrived, Sven and Romelle were sitting at the table, each with a muffin and a cup of coffee in front of them. They were both engrossed in some word game on Sven's hand held computer. Hunk sat across from them digging into a bowl of cereal with a napkin full of pastries next to him. They all glanced up as the second in command entered.

"Hey," Hunk said, between bites.

"Morning." Lance replied. He glanced around quickly. "Where's Pidge?"

Hunk shrugged as he swallowed another bite. "Haven't seen him yet."

Lance walked to the kitchen bar where Nanny had laid out breakfast. He grabbed a biscuit. "Allura said that she saw him last night," he said unapologetically with a full mouth. "Said he was preoccupied with something." He shoved the rest of the biscuit in mouth before reaching for the jug of purple juice sitting next to the baked goods.

"Even so," Hunk said, "it's not like him to be late for breakfast. He loves Nanny's fruit turnovers."

Romelle set Sven's hand held on the table to turn her attention to them. "He did seem pretty upset yesterday after the run in Wade."

Hunk chuckled. "Yeah, he's probably taking out his frustrations on some first person shooter game. I'll check on him after breakfast."

"I'll take care of it." Lance countered. "Keith wants you in the control room ASAP to run diagnostics on the security system. He wants to make sure that everything is in working order after the Drules were tinkering around in there."

Sven collected his dishes and Romelle's and walked back into the kitchen. "Where is Keith? I haven't seen him since we were all cleared by Dr. Gorma yesterday."

"He said he was taking Black out this morning. He wants to check out the damage from the battle."

This time Hunk huffed. "What is this? Business as usual? Shouldn't we be trying to figure out how to deal with Wade?" He slammed his spoon down on the table. "It's not really like Keith to ignore a problem. What's up with him?"

"Give the guy a break, Hunk," Sven cut in. "It's not easy carrying the fate of people that you care about on your shoulders. I'm sure whatever he is doing, he's trying to figure this mess out."

Lance nodded in agreement. He had experienced first hand the weight of Keith's responsibility. It had almost broken him. The Commander's shoes were not something that he wanted to step into again any time soon. Nor did he envy the choices that Keith was going to have to make in the next two days. "I agree with Sven. Let's all just give Keith some breathing room and do what he needs us to do. He's got enough on his plate right now without worrying about our insubordination."

When no one responded, Lance noticed that Hunk, Sven, and Romelle were all staring at him like he'd grown another head. Romelle was trying unsuccessfully to hide a small smile. "What?"

Hunk was the first to speak. "Who are you? And what have you done with Lance?"

"Huh?" Lance cocked his head, thoroughly confused.

"Oh, it's nothing," Sven joined, smirking at him "It's just that you're usually complaining that Keith does too much thinking and not enough doing. Now you appear to be defending him."

Romelle clucked her tongue at Sven. "Now, now, I think what we have here is a case of what regular people call empathy. Now that Lance has had a taste of responsibility, I think he might have an idea about what Keith is going through."

Lance scowled at them. Mostly because he knew they were right. "Okay, yeah, so, maybe I do feel a little bad for him," he said, hoping that it would end the conversation. They only smiled at him which made him want to punch them each in the mouth. He cleared his throat. "Alright, alright, you got me to admit it! Now can I go back to enjoying my breakfast." He shoved another pastry into his mouth. "I've got work to do, too, you know."

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><p>The rest of the day was fairly uneventful. Lance had been tasked with putting together a team to inventory all of the castle's emergency rations. On his way to castle control to get his group together, he stopped by Pidge's quarters to check up on him, honoring his promise to Hunk that he would do so. Pidge had not answered the door, citing that he was not feeling well, and he promised Lance that he would see Dr. Gorma. Lance was not so sure that Pidge hadn't told him that just to get rid of him, but Lance left him alone as requested, gathering his team and leading them down to the underground bunkers.<p>

Traveling the halls underneath the castle was a tad more unnerving than Lance would have admitted to anyone. So much had happened down there in such a short amount of time, and each step that the team made was another reminder of the near tragic events. They rounded another corner where the corridor split into two directions: one leading to the central control area, the other toward the den of Green Lion. Lance stopped suddenly, unbidden images flashing before his eyes, as he glanced down the corridor where the lion slept. It was down that dark hallway where he had shot one his own friends. He had nearly killed Deirdre. No, he _did _kill her. She had been killed upon the impact of his blaster, and somehow, by the mercy of the gods that Lance had never put much faith in anyway, she had been brought back to life. That fact seemed quite trivial next to actually shooting and killing her. He had killed her, and he knew deep down that he would probably never be able to forgive himself.

"Sir?" a voice pulled him away from his own somber thoughts. Lance glanced behind him to see the team of castle guards watching him curiously. He shook his head, forcing the reflections of past events to the recesses of his mind.

"I'm fine," he answered the unasked questions. "Let's go." He quickly started down the corridor, away from the ghosts, toward central control.

With just a quick break for lunch, he and his team had spent the majority of the day in the underground bunkers, counting the essentials that needed to be replaced should another emergency arise.

It was nearly dinner time when they finally finished and climbed back into the welcoming walls of the main castle. Lance thanked the men for their help, dismissed them, and headed to the stairwell leading to the second floor.

Deirdre was still mildly irritated that she was still being "held prisoner" in the med bay via Dr. Gorma's orders. From her weak appearance – her skin was pale even compared to her normally fair complexion and dark circles had settled under her eyes giving the tell tale signs of exhaustion – Lance couldn't disagree with the doctor for keeping her under observation. Of course, he would never voice his opinion out loud to her, lest he incur her wrath. So, he sat quietly in the chair by the window, while she and Richie, who had been camping in the chair that Lance had woken up in that morning, reminisced about the old days. Richie was trying to keep her mind off of her current circumstance by recounting stories of their time at the academy. Lance was barely listening to the chatter as he idly gazed out the window over the darkening landscape and wondered how many more times he would actually get to see an Arusian sunset.

His thoughts were interrupted when Dr. Gorma poked his head through the door. He had Deirdre's test results. "Are you okay with them here to hear this?" he asked as both men stood.

Deirdre nodded. "What did you find?"

Dr. Gorma took a brief moment to collect his thoughts. "I have isolated the cause of your new found abilities. The parasite that was implanted onto your brain stem – the one that resulted in the mind control – was pumping what we previously thought to be some sort of neurotoxin into your brain. That, in fact, was not the case. As it turns out, the substance contained strong magical properties that are still a mystery to me." He paused briefly. "Our hypothesis was only half correct when we surmised that the parasite would leave on its own in the event of your..." he paused, "brain death."

The room was quiet for a moment. Lance stole a glance at Deirdre who was looking at him, but there was no emotion in her expression. She knew what had gone down. She knew that he had been the one to do it. As the acting commander, it had been his decision. He wondered if she blamed him as much as he blamed himself – if that were even possible. Would she have chosen a different outcome?

Richie cleared his throat. "What do you mean only half correct? The thing is gone, right?"

Gorma nodded. "Yes, the parasite is gone, but it did not remove itself. It desintegrated. When that happened, all of the properties of the parasite were absorbed into the bloodstream. What happened next has never be comprehended to our medical knowledge."

"Well?" Deirdre spat. "Don't keep us in suspense."

"The substance that you absorbed altered you on a molecular level."

Lance tried to wrap his head around what the doctor was saying. "Meaning?"

"It changed your DNA, Deirdre. Whatever it was, it is now permanently a part of you."

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><p>The warm breeze of the evening zephyr blew gently across the turrets at the top of the castle. Leaning heavily on the rails of the turret, Keith closed his eyes to let the air blow across his face, barely mussing his hair. When he opened them again, he stared out at the ink black sky, dotted with pin pricks of lights. His gaze dropped, and from where he stood, he could make out Black Lion, standing as the ever vigilant guarding of the castle. He had lost track of how long had been standing there, but it had been long enough to watch the sun dropped lazily behind the pink horizon and the large moon of Arus shed its light over the landscape.<p>

He had gone to top of the castle to clear his mind, hoping that clarity would offer him some answers. He had failed miserably. Too much had happened for him to simply shut it away like he was accustomed to doing. Locking away emotion and doubt, focusing on what needed to be done and doing it was something in which he had always excelled. Lance would chide him for it. He would say that Keith was more like a super computer than a man the way he could so easily compartmentalize things. Now he found himself struggling to do so.

Hearing footsteps behind him, he turned to see Coran standing at the entrance of stairs leading back to the interior of the castle. Keith let out a breath. "It's you."

Coran cocked his head. "You were expecting someone else?"

Keith shook his head and turned back to the landscape. "Not really. I was just hoping that it wasn't someone from the team." He felt rather than saw Coran move to stand next to him.

"I would have thought that you would be spending time with them right now." Coran said gently.

"They want answers, Coran, and I have none to give them." Keith was surprised at his own admission.

"The truth is, I have no idea what to do."

Coran silently followed Keith's gaze out past the Arusian horizon. When he spoke, his voice was soft and earnest. "Keith, it is very rare to meet a man with powerful conviction. Even less so to meet a man who can instill that conviction in others." He looked at Keith and waited for the younger man to return his gaze. "They are qualities that make you such a great leader, Commander."

Keith snorted. "Yeah, what a great leader. I seem to lead my team from one life threatening situation to another." He stopped and pondered his own statement. His decisions had been the direct cause of so many tragedies as of late. Deirdre, aside from giving herself to Lotor's twisted fantasies, had been subjected to who knew what kind of torture, the least of which was falling under Hagar's mind control. Lance and Hunk had risked their lives to save them from his own vain and careless decision to give himself to Lotor. And then there was Allura. When he thought about her, visions of the young woman who he had pledged himself thrust themselves into the forefront of his mind. It seemed like a lifetime ago. The memories made him sad. She would never again be that young girl, so alive and full of hope and optimism. Lotor had seen to that, even in his own death.

Coran seemed to sense his inner turmoil. "You are not responsible for the hand that life has dealt you. Or to anyone else. You are only responsible for how you respond. You would give your life for those under your command."

"And they would do the same for me." Keith responded.

Coran nodded. "I know that you hold onto your oaths above all else. To go against such a pledge would go against the man that you are." He pause briefly. "And I know that you are torn between your loyalty to Galaxy Garrison and your promise to Princess Allura." Keith was silent. "For my part, I will tell you that you have more than fulfilled your duty to Arus, and I am sure that Her Highness would agree with me."

Keith contemplated the older man's words. Coran was giving him an out. He was letting Keith know that if he chose to go back to Earth – to stay loyal to Garrison – that neither he nor the princess would find fault with his decision. He felt his shoulders ease as a slight weight lifted. It was then that he finally made his decision.

"I'm going to make a deal with Wade," he said simply and waited for a response. When Coran said nothing, he continued. "I'm the one he really wants. If I go back to Earth to stand trial without incident, I can probably convince him to drop the charges against the others. If not, he goes home empty-handed. In his mind, he would be disgraced. If I go, he saves face."

"You would take full responsibility for General Graham's death? Even though you had nothing to do with it." Coran seemed surprised.

Keith shook his head. "There will still be a trial. I will still have a chance to prove my innocence."

A large white owl-like bird glided effortlessly through the air, watching the ground for any sign of what might be it's evening meal. Both men watched it float in circles.

Coran rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "From what I understand, Wade has quite a bit of evidence against you. The odds are not in your favor."

"I know," Keith said, "but I would rather take the odds with my life alone than the whole team."

"That is very noble. Every bit of what I would expect from you. Won't the others fight you on this decision?"

Keith gave him a wan smile. "Probably. But I'll convince them that this is best option." His expression fell as he looked out once more at the proud Black Lion below. "This is how it has to be."

"What? Are you out of your goddamned mind?"

Keith stood still and absorbed Lance's expected tirade. He had waited to tell the team the next morning, but when he had gone to the rec room at breakfast time, Lance and Hunk were the only ones there. No one had seen or heard from Pidge. Hunk had gone to his room several times, but was always met with the same excuses. He wasn't feeling well. The fact that the youngest member of the team had blatantly missed a call to a meeting was a bit of a concern for Keith, and he decided that he would deal with Pidge when he was through. Allura, he presumed was still resting, and he was grateful that she was not there at that moment. He knew that she was still reeling from the recent events, and listening to Lance and Hunk spout off at him for his decision to go with Wade was not what she needed to hear.

Hunk was every bit in a rage as Lance. "Keith, if you think we're going to just let you give yourself to Wade..."

"The decision has been made, Hunk." Keith said matter of factly. "I've already contacted Wade. They'll be coming for me in a couple of hours."

In the kitchenette, Lance was pacing like a caged tiger in the small space between the stove and the island counter top. "And you couldn't even be bothered to talk it over with us? You son of a bitch!" He stopped just long enough to pick a fruit turnover and pitch it at Keith's head, who sidestepped it sending it splattering on the wall.

Keith rolled his eyes at the childish antics, but refused to engage. "It's for the good of the team, Lance."

"Oh, the good of the team, he says." Lance mocked him.

Finally, Keith moved to stand in front of his second in command. "Yes, for the team. If I go back to Earth, I need to know that people I can trust will still be here to protect Arus. Lance, you are perfectly capable of leading this team, and you guys need to keep the team together. Especially if Wade is calling the shots at Garrison. He will not stop until he either gets his hands on Voltron, or dismantles him for good."

Lance opened his mouth to retort, but stopped, and seemed to mull over Keith's words. It was all the time that Keith needed to know that he had finally reached his sense of practicality.

Keith was convinced that Lance was about to concede his position when the door opened and Pidge sprinted into the rec room, hopping around like a two year old who really had to use the restroom. "Guys! I've got it!"

"Pidge, where have you been?" Keith scolded him. "We've been..."

Pidge shook his head frantically. "Stop whatever it is your doing," he said excitedly. "I got it!"

"Got what?" Hunk said. "Take a breath, Pidge."

The young man finally calmed himself enough so that he could actually stand still. He took a deep breath then proclaimed, "I've got a way to get Wade!"


	27. Chapter 27

Two hours later, in the courtyard just inside the gates of the Castle of Lions, Wade shielded his eyes from the noon day sun as he gazed upward toward the granite pedestal that served as the watchtower for the mighty Black Lion. He smirked as he thought about how fitting it was that he should be arresting the pilot of the beast right under the lion's nose.

When the commander had contacted him with his decision, there had been a moment when Wade had nearly refused out of sheer principle. There were few things that he detested more than someone threatening his authority. But as he thought about it, Wade realized that having Keith in custody was much more beneficial to his plan, than allowing the Voltron Force to stay in tact as outcasts from their own world. The latter scenario could prove to be potentially dangerous to Wade's end-game. So, he had agreed on Keith's conditions. The commander would be taken into custody, while the rest of the team would be given immunity from prosecution with regards to Graham's death.

Wade snickered silently. There would be other chances to dismantle the rest of the team. All in good time.

The doors to the entrance of the castle opened. Wade felt the two armed Garrison guards on either side of him stiffen. He rolled his eyes with annoyance. The two young men with him were not nearly as excited as he was at the prospect of arresting Keith. Unfortunately for Wade, the Voltron Force carried a cult-like status among the men and women that served under him. It was the very reason that Wade had to be so meticulous about bringing down Voltron. Any sense of impropriety, and the soldiers would most likely riot.

The Voltron Force finally emerged from the castle. Keith first, followed closely by his second in command, Lance. Hunk and Pidge were next, then Sven and Romelle. Finally, Allura and Coran arrived on the landing and followed the others down the stone steps into the courtyard. The commander stopped just a few feet from Wade. The others took up position behind him, save for the princess who marched from the back of the group to take a stand next to Keith.

"You are ready, Commander?" Wade asked.

There was an awkward pause before Keith answered, "I don't think so Wade."

Wade's thick gray mustache bristled. "What?"

Keith stepped aside to allow Pidge to come front and center.

While Pidge was dwarfed by Wade's larger stature, he seemed ten feet tall as he marched confidently up to the Sky Marshal. "Keith is not responsible for Graham's death," he announced. "You are." Pidge shoved his finger at Wade. "You hired the man who really killed the general."

"What?" Wade bellowed. "That's preposterous! Where's your proof?"

"Right here," a voice behind him answered.

Wade turned around to see Chip, accompanied by the rest of the Vehicle team, making his way toward him. In the smaller man's hand, Wade could barely make out the outline of a disk.

Wade's face screwed up. "What are you talking about?"

"Pidge and Chip have been working to hack your personal files since we got back to Arus." Keith stated.

Pidge grinned. "Yesterday, we got what we needed on you. All of your correspondence with one, 1st lieutenant Nick Lecaro. He's the man that you promised a quick trip up the ranks if he helped you. And I'm betting that if we asked him, he would tell us that he was also responsible for Lotor's escape."

Lance snorted and crossed his arms casually. "Also planned by you, of course."

"We're taking you into custody now, Sky Marshal." Keith said, barely keeping the mocking tone from his voice.

Wade laughed. "You can't arrest me. You don't have the authority."

"But I do." another familiar voice rang out.

This time, the color drained from Wade's face as he turned away from Keith again. The Vehicle team parted as Hawkins walked casually to the front.

"Hawkins, you relic," Wade spat, "what the hell are you doing here?"

Hawkins smirked at him. "Once Pidge and Chip got the evidence that they needed, Jeff contacted me."

Wade glanced at Jeff who merely raised an eyebrow at him, as Hawkins continued, "then it was just a matter of contacting the right people in the Alliance. I was reinstated and dispatched to Arus to bring you back for trial. Ensigns, take this man to the Explorer and throw him in the brig."

The two men on either side of Wade stepped forward just in time to grabbed him as he lunged at Keith. "You will regret this! All of you!" he yelled, pulling against the ensigns who restrained him. "This isn't over, son!"

Keith narrowed his eyes at him and took a step to within just inches of Wade's face. "I'm not your son. I am an officer in Galaxy Garrison and the Commander of Voltron Force," he said evenly, " and you're under arrest, you son of a bitch."

The words made Wade pause and gauge his situation. Angrily, he took a step back and straightened his stance, before finally turning on his heel and allowing the ensigns to escort him out of the courtyard without further incident.

Collectively, everyone still present let out a breath. It was finally over.

As muted chatter begin to filter through the group, Keith glanced at Allura next to him.

"Is it really over?" she asked.

He nodded. "It's over." He watched her for a moment, noting her pale skin and the far away look in her eyes. She looked like she hadn't been sleeping, and he could hardly blame her for that. "Are you doing okay?"

She took a deep breath before answering, "I think I will be." Then she gave him a shy smile.

Even her small attempt to smile at him gave him hope. She was an incredibly strong woman, much more than he usually gave her credit for, and at that moment, he knew that she would be alright. It would take some time, but she would survive as she always did. "You know, Allura..."

"Whoo hoo!" Lance's voice rang out through the courtyard, drowning out anything else Keith may have said to her. Lance moved to stand next to Allura and threw an arm around her shoulders. "I'd say if there was ever a reason for us to have a party, this would be it. What do you say, Allura?"

Allura glanced at Keith who only shrugged, but let a little slip of a smile escape his lips. She beamed back at Lance and nodded. "Sure. Okay."

"Alright!" Lance said, then he broke from her to join Hunk and Pidge who were celebrating with the Vehicle Force.

"Nice work, Pidge," Sven was saying as Lance approached.

Pidge turned bright pink and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, well, I didn't want to get everyone's hopes up in case it didn't pan out," he said sheepishly. "And I couldn't have done it without Chip's help."

"How did you manage it anyway, Chip?" Hunk asked.

Everyone turned to look at Chip who was every it as crimson as his brother, clearly uncomfortable being thrust into the spotlight. "I planted a virus on Wade's computer before we left Earth," he explained. "Then it was just a matter of filtering through all of his files until we found the right ones."

"Yeah, yeah," Lance cut him off. "You can fill us in on all of the technical details later. We have a party to plan." He had their full attention now. "I've already cleared it with Keith and Allura. And you are all invited." he said to the Vehicle team. More loud chatter erupted.

Keith smirked at the princess. "Do you have any idea what you have unleashed on the castle?"

"Total chaos?" she answered, still smiling as she watched her friends. "I think it is just the kind of chaos that this castle has needed for a long time."

* * *

><p>Lance could be very motivated at times, especially when he was planning a party, something he had become very adept at while at the academy. His ability to plan, delegate, and implement a plan of action for a celebration came only second to his piloting skills. In the span of a few hours, Lance had transformed the rec room into a veritable disco, complete with a mirrored ball and lights that he and Hunk had managed to rig together from parts in storage and a sound system the the Vehicle Force had been gracious enough to loan them from the Explorer. Allura, Romelle, and Rebekah had recruited Sven and Richie – with Nanny keeping a close eye – in the kitchen for some last minute party trays. Keith had even gotten into the spirit of the occasion and joined Jeff and Ginger on the hunt for alcoholic libations. All in all, it had been a decent haul consisting of a few bottles of various wines from the castle coffers, and a decent amount of liquor from the Explorer.<p>

The quick beat of the music was just loud enough to be heard from the outside corridor as Allura and Romelle approached the open door. Just before they entered, Allura pulled Romelle to side and asked her cousin again if she thought that her outfit was appropriate. To satisfy her, Romelle took a step back and gave her a once over. Without consulting Nanny, because surly it would have resulted in a tirade from the older woman, Allura had refused to wear one of the many gowns from her closet. Instead, she had opted for a yellow, flowing sun dress that she would normally reserve for an springtime outing picking her favorite herbs and flowers in the garden.

"Lance said casual." Romelle assured her, pushing back a blond curl that had fallen over Allura's shoulder. "You look great."

On cue, Lance stuck his head out of the doorway. "Did I hear my name?" he asked, moving into the corridor to greet them.

"Yes, you did, Lance." Romelle said. "I was just telling Allura that you specified that this is a casual event, and that she is dressed appropriately."

"Let's see here." Lance grabbed Allura by the hand and gave her a gently turn. "I'll say. You look terrific." Suddenly he pulled her to him so he could whisper in her ear. "And I'm pretty sure that I'm not the only one who will think so."

Allura punched him lightly in the arm, trying hard to hide the burning blush creeping into her cheeks.

Voices from the corridor moving toward them captured their attention.

"Are you sure you should be doing this?" Richie was saying as he and Deirdre walked arm in arm toward them.

"I am not a porcelain doll, Richie." she complained. "This is not something I can't deal with. Besides if I have spend one more minute in the med bay, I will go mad. Oh, hi..." she smiled broadly at Allura and Romelle as they arrived.

"Hi, Deirdre," Allura said. "How are you feeling?"

"My body's still adjusting. But not too bad, thanks. If people will stop treating me like I could keel over at any minute." She gave Richie a playful scowl.

Richie was not amused. "Well, let's see you've been implanted with some mind altering parasite, been shot and killed, came back from the dead, and had your DNA altered. All in the span of a week. I can't imagine why anyone would be worried."

An awkward silence settled among the group. Romelle and Allura glanced uneasily at each other while Lance simply stared at the floor, guilt plainly written all over his face. Deirdre elbowed Richie with a solid blow to the ribs, causing him to wince slightly. "Nice going, Jackass. Way to kill the mood." She took a deep breath. "Come on, guys, this is a party. We won. Let's just focus on the fact that we are all still around to celebrate, and not worry about how we got here." she continued, trying to make eye contact with Lance.

He dodged her gaze and cleared his throat. "Yeah, well, I better go make sure that Hunk hasn't cleared the food table already." He turned to leave, but was jerked back when Deirdre caught his wrist and stopped him. He raised an irritated eyebrow at her. "What?"

Deirdre smiled sweetly at Richie. "Richie, would mind escorting the lovely princesses into the party. I need to speak with Lance for a moment."

Richie clearly took the hint and dropped her arm to offer his to Allura. "Well hell yes I will." he said, grinning at Allura and Romelle. "Ladies, it would be my pleasure."

The two princesses blushed slightly, each taking an arm, and Richie led them into the party. As soon as they were out of ear shot, Deirdre rounded on Lance, all semblance of joviality had left her expression. "Is this how it's going to be between us now?"

"What?" Lance asked.

"Now you listen to me, Lance McClain!" she said, shoving a finger in his chest. "You are not going to carry this around with you like some burden that you single handedly brought on yourself! Jesus Christ, between you and Keith, I haven't been around so much angst since junior high. Why is it that the two of you think that you have complete control over everything that happens?"

Lance narrowed his eyes at her. "What are you talking about?"

She crossed her arms. "I'm talking about how neither one of you can look me in the eye. Like somehow all of this is your fault."

"Well, it is, isn't it?" Lance finally shot back. "If Keith hadn't have called you in to help. If I hadn't let the two of you go after Allura. If I hadn't shot..." He was cut off when Deirdre abruptly slapped him across the face. Not hard, but enough to get his attention. "What the hell, Deirdre!"

"GET OVER YOURSELF!" she yelled at him. "I make my own decisions, and that means only I get to live with the consequences! Nobody forced me to do anything! Not even Lotor..."

Lance's anger began to boil over as he thought about Lotor forcing himself on Deirdre. It make his stomach turn. "So, why did you do it, Dee? Why did you let Lotor..." he stopped, not even able to say the words.

Seeing the pain on his face, Deirdre's expression softened. She took his face in her hands, forcing him to look at her. "Because I knew I could take it. If Lotor had taken Allura, he would have broken her." They both glanced up as more voices drifted from the corridor. Keith, Jeff, and Ginger were walking their way. Deirdre lowered her voice. "And it would have destroyed all of you." she said, keeping her gaze on Keith for a moment longer before meeting Lance's again.

"So, you did all of it to protect us."

She shrugged. "I figured you guys had saved my bacon enough times, I could return the favor." Lance grabbed her and hugged her fiercely. "Hey," she croaked, "I'm fine really. Aside from not knowing exactly what kind of side effects my new 'powers' will have, I actually feel pretty good." She pushed him back so she could look at him again. "And trust me when I tell you that I do not blame you for what you had to down in the bunkers. You made the right call. I would rather have been dead than live under someone else's mind control. So, I guess I should say 'thank you.' Just accept that, and let's move on. There's been enough pain and sadness. Can we do that?"

Lance nodded. "Yeah, I think we can do that."

"Good, cause I heard that Keith and others were able to track down some tequila on the Explorer. What say you and I tie one on and," she gave him a devilish smile, "have some fun."

This time, Lance granted her a full on grin. "Whatever you say." He offered her his arm which she gladly took.

"Hey," Keith called as he, Jeff, and Ginger approached. "what are you guys doing out here? I figured the two of you would have dried up the bar by now."

"We were just headed that way." Lance said. He turned to lead the way only to stop and grab Keith by the arm. "By the way, you better look sharp tonight, Keith. Allura is looking particularly fetching this evening, and I'm pretty sure that she's going to be expecting a dance or five."

"Huh?" Keith tried to play off his rising excitement as confusion, but from the looks on his friends' faces was unsuccessful.

Deirdre and Lance exchanged knowing looks. "The cat's out of the bag, Keith. Now all you have to do is take action, Commander."

Keith narrowed his eyes as Lance led Deirdre, followed by Jeff and Ginger into the rec room. He followed accordingly.

The rec room was dimly lit with colored lights – that seemed to be following the pulse of the music – flashing elaborate designs on the small area that was serving as the dance floor. Members of both teams were sitting around the tables and chairs that had been pushed back against the walls. In the kitchen, Keith spotted Hunk and Rebekah perusing the party trays of various meats, cheeses, and sweets that were laid out on the island. Scanning the room once more, he finally found what he was looking for. Allura was standing by the bar with Romelle and Lisa. Lance had been right, she was a sight to behold in her yellow sundress that fell just at her knees. Her hair fell around her shoulders in golden curls that changed colors with the dancing lights. Without warning, she turned and caught his gaze, smiling and waving. He smiled back at her, breathing deeply, trying to keep the tingling in his body at bay. It's time, he decided. With Lotor gone, and the Drules on the run, Arus was safe. There would not be a better time for him to finally tell Allura everything that he had wanted to confess to her since the day they met.

"See anything you like?" Sven approached, following Keith's attention.

Keith looked at him and grinned. "And if I did?"

Sven returned his smile and threw an arm around his friend's shoulder. "Well, it's my experience that if you really want something, standing in the corner while it's right in front of you, gets you no closer to it."

Keith rolled his eyes. "Alright, alright, jeez, you guys just are not going to let this go, are you?"

"Nope. But I tell you what, let's get a drink. You could probably use a little liquid courage. Am I right?"

Keith nodded. "Yeah, I guess I could. But nothing too hard, I don't want to be slobbering in her face when I talk to her."

Sven laughed loudly. "LANCE!"

"WHAT?" Lance answered from his place by the bar.

"SHOTS!"

"YOU GOT IT!"

Keith furrowed his brow. "Now wait a minute, I just said..."

"Doesn't matter, Keith." Sven pulled him by the arm to where Lance was waiting to hand them each a shot glass. "Trust us, this is just what you need." The three pilots downed the shots, each making a vain attempt not to make a face.

"Whoo hoo!" Lance crowed. "That's what I'm talking about."

"Eh hum..."

The three of them turned to see Hawkins each trying to hide their shot glass behind their back. The older man chuckled. "You are adults, men, and not on duty at the moment. I am not going to scold you for having a little fun."

"Thank you, sir." Sven finally managed.

"I would, however, like to have brief meeting with you and your team, Keith, before the party gets too out of hand."

Keith cocked his head. It had been a while since Hawkins had been his commanding officer – or anybody's commanding officer for that matter – not to mention the fact that Hawkins had only just been reinstated to Garrison. Keith wasn't even sure how to address the man. "Yes, General." he said cautiously, and when Hawkins made no move to correct him, he assumed it was appropriate. We'll grab Hunk, Pidge, and the Princess. We can use Coran's office. I'm sure he won't mind."

Hawkins nodded. "That will be fine. But there is no need to bother the princess. This is Garrison business.

"I see, sir." Keith nodded.

"Meet me in the corridor in five."

"Yes, sir." Keith responded.

When Hawkins was well out of earshot, Lance and Sven looked at him questioningly.

"What do you suppose that's all about?" Lance asked.

Keith shrugged his shoulders. "You got me. Go grab Hunk and Pidge."

Lance and Sven nodded and went about collecting the rest of the team. Keith watched Hawkins duck out of the room before glancing back at Allura. He sighed. Oh well, he thought, it's waited this long, it can wait a little longer.

"Where are they running off to?" Allura watched as Keith, Lance, Hunk, Pidge, and Sven made a bee line for the exit.

Deirdre shrugged. "Don't know. But I saw them talking to Hawkins earlier. He probably wants to debrief or some nonsense." She watched Allura's gaze as Keith left. "Not to worry, Princess. I can almost guarantee that you and Keith are going to get your moment tonight."

Romelle and Lisa snickered, and Allura was going to rebuke the statement and then decided that there was no point. They all knew about her feelings for Keith. Why deny them? She sighed audibly. "Do you really think so?"

"He would be a supreme idiot not to." Lisa commented, handing them each another drink. "And I know Keith Kogane. He is no idiot."

"Well, when it comes to women, that might be up for debate." Deirdre cut in.

All four women fell into hopeless giggles as the music around them picked up to a moving pace. "Come on, I want to dance." Lisa announced, setting her drink down.

"But we don't have anyone to dance with." Allura said.

Lisa laughed loudly. "We have each other. Come on." She took Allura's drink from her hand, set it down on the table, and pulled both Allura and Romelle, followed by Deirdre, onto the dance floor where they were greeted by friendly cat calls from around the room as they began moving, getting completely lost in the music.

Only fifteen or twenty minutes had passed, but to Allura it may have been an hour. As time went on, the party was loosening up considerably and more people were moving to the dance floor. Allura had taken the opportunity to slip away, grab another drink, and move to stand by bar a where Deirdre had already staked out a spot. While she had tried to keep up with them, Deirdre finally had to admit that she was not at one hundred percent and tired out quickly. It didn't stop her, Allura noted, from keeping a fresh drink in her hand.

"Having a good time?" Deirdre smiled, and Allura noticed the flushed cheeks that the red head was sporting. She couldn't decide if it was the drinks or a case of exhaustion.

Allura took a drink and smiled back. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I am." She glanced at the door again. "I wonder what's taking them so long."

"I wouldn't worry. As I remember, General Hawkins can be long winded at times. I'm sure they'll be back soon."

Allura nodded, trying not to blush. "Have you given any thought about what we talked about earlier?"

Deirdre didn't answer because her attention had turned toward the door where Keith had entered with the rest of the team behind him. Allura felt her heart skip a quick beat as Keith set his gaze firmly on her and walked purposefully in her direction with Lance, Hunk, and Pidge close behind. She took a deep breath to settle the fluttering in her stomach. As bad as she wanted to play it cool, she could not stop the goofy smile that crept across her lips. "Hi, Keith."

Keith did not return her smile. "Hey, Allura."

All of the casual flirting from before was gone and replaced by an expression that Allura was having a hard time interpreting.

"Uh oh." Deirdre said. "I've seen that look before. What's up?"

"We just got done talking to Hawkins. We're being reassigned."

Allura blinked trying to understand what he was saying. "Reassigned?"

Keith let out a slow breath. "We're being recalled back to Earth."

"What?" her voice cracked. She felt like she had been punched in the gut. "You're going back to Earth?"

"Hawkins is of the opinion – and frankly so am I – that there is no way that Wade could possibly pulled off all of this on his own. He believes that there are more traitors in Garrison." He paused to let her absorb the information. "Hawkins needs people he can trust to weed out the rest of the conspirators."

"Yeah," Lance cut in. "We're even getting promoted. We'll be heading up the task force to take out the trash at Garrison."

"So, your all leaving?" Deirdre asked casually as if she were asking about the weather.

Hunk cleared his throat. "Not all of us. Pidge and I have resigned our commissions. We would like to stay on Arus."

"If that's okay with you, Princess." Pidge cut in.

Despite the overwhelming feeling that Allura had to throttle Keith right where he stood, Allura treated Hunk and Pidge to a gracious smile. "Of course you can stay. You two are the only people who know how to baby the castle's security and circuitry. And..." she glanced briefly at Keith, "I would miss the two of you if you left. What about you, Lance?"

Lance rubbed the back of his neck like he was uncharacteristically uncomfortable being put on the spot. "Aw, you know me, Allura, I've got to be where the action is. I figure kicking a bunch of traitorous assholes out of Garrison, seems to fit the bill."

Allura nodded. "I see. So, when will you be leaving?"

"Hawkins wants us to leave on the Explorer tomorrow morning."

Keith's matter of fact tone began to grate on Allura. He acted like it was no big deal. Like it didn't even bother him. Like everything that had happened in the last few years had meant nothing. She wanted to scream at him, slap him across the face. Ask him how he could be so nonchalant about leaving Arus. But she didn't. She couldn't. She wouldn't, she decided, give him that. If he could pretend that it all didn't matter, then so could she.

The uncomfortable silence that fell among the group was broken when Deirdre cleared her throat loudly. "Well, since we've only got one more night," she sauntered over the Lance and grabbed his arm. "We may as well make the best of it. Come on, McClain. Let's go snatch that bottle of tequila and..." Her voice faded out as she leaned into Lance and whispered in his ear. Neither Allura nor Keith could hear what she said, but the broad grin on Lance's face was all the interpretation they needed.

Lance stretched his arm around Deirdre's shoulder. "That's the best idea I've heard all night. See you kids later." He winked wickedly at Keith as he and Deirdre headed toward the bar only turning back to grab Hunk and Pidge. "Come on, you two. Have a drink with us."

Keith sighed and shook his head as Hunk and Pidge followed Lance and Deirdre. "I will never figure those two out."

Allura nodded. "Yeah, they do have a strange rapport, don't they?"

"Listen, Allura, I..."

"Don't, Keith." she said simply, forcing a smile. "There's nothing you can say the would make this easier to swallow."

Keith had no response, so he only nodded. He knew that she was putting up a strong front for him. He knew that the news that he was leaving was hurting her every much as it was hurting him. He also knew that with a few words, he could make it easier for her. To tell her how much he wanted nothing more than to take her into his arms, tell her it was all going to be okay. Tell her that he would come back to her, and they would live happily ever after. But more than anything, he wanted to tell her the truth. The truth about why he was leaving. Circumstances being as they were, telling her truth would do more harm than good. This was the only way. She was still watching him, waiting for him to say something. He coughed lightly. "Well, I should probably start getting my things together."

To his surprise, she didn't argue. She only nodded. "Yeah," Then she surprised him again when she lifted to her toes and planted a feather light kiss...on his lips. It was so quick that he almost thought he imagined it. But as she rocked back to her heels, he noticed the tinge of pink on her cheeks. "General Hawkins made the right choice. There are no two better men that I know who could find the moles in Galaxy Garrison." She graced him with one final smile. "I should go mingle. After all, I am the hostess of the party. It wouldn't do for me to neglect my guests."

They both lingered a moment longer than necessary before finally turning and walking away in separate directions.

* * *

><p>Morning came very quickly, not that it mattered to Keith who found sleep to be conveniently evading him. Packing had been easy enough considering he had always been a minimalist, not ever keeping anything around that he did not absolutely have to keep which consisted of a few changes of clothes, a couple of pairs of boots, and the essential toiletries. The few non-imperative items included some books – mostly about Arusian history – and a small picture album that his mother had given him when he left for the Space Academy. It had random pictures of his family, a few from his cadet days, and one picture of the Voltron Force – all perched on the shoulder of the fully formed Voltron.<p>

He remembered that day so vividly. They had just finished practiced maneuvers, and Nanny had made the announcement that it was tradition for the Voltron Force to have a portrait made. It had felt awkward at first, but Pidge and Lance had gotten the giggles and before it was over, they had over thirty ridiculous pictures of them in various positions. It had been a good day. Reflecting back on his time on Arus, Keith suddenly felt sorry that they hadn't taken the opportunity to take more pictures.

Hoisting his bag over his shoulder, Keith glanced around his room one more time. Taking a deep breath to keep those feelings of regret from into progressing into something more, he turned out the light and closed the door.

On his way to the lift, he paused in front of Lance's door and banged loudly. "Lance! You ready?" he shouted.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming." came Lance's voice from the other side.

Keith could hear him moving around frantically and was pretty sure he already knew the reason that his second in command was not ready. Lance flung open the door and stepped out into the corridor. He was shouldering his own duffle bag and pulling two more storage bins behind him. Keith shook his head.

"Seriously? Three bags? What the hell do you have in there?"

Lance eyeballed the one bag that Keith had before obstinately lifting his nose into the air. "A few mementos of our illustrious time on Arus."

"You're a hoarder."

"I'm a keeper of memories, my friend. And I made a few more last night." He grinned big as he started down the corridor with Keith in step.

"Yeah, I heard." Keith said. "The two of you sounded like a couple of cats in heat."

Lance's laugh echoed through the corridor as he loaded his things on the lift after Keith. Once the doors closed, Lance turned to his friend. "So, how did it go with Allura?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, did she lay into you about leaving?"

Keith shook his head as memories of the light kiss lingered in his mind. "No, as a matter of fact, she was okay with it."

"Wow, that's surprising. So? Did you guys hook up or what?"

Keith rolled his eyes. "Dude, don't even go there."

* * *

><p>When they got to the hanger where the Explorer was waiting, they found a small group gathered. Hunk and Rebekah, Pidge, Deirdre, Sven and Romelle had all come to see them off. Even Coran was waiting. Neither Keith nor Lance missed the fact that one of them was not there.<p>

"Maybe she didn't take it as well as you thought." Lance whispered to Keith as they near the group.

Keith only nodded. Somehow, he had known that she would not be there. It's just as well, he told himself. Seeing her standing there waving good bye would only add to unbearable conflict to stay. A clean break. For those that were there, he offered each a good-bye. When he got to Hunk, he stuck his hand out, but Hunk had other ideas, pulling him into a massive bear hug.

"Kick some ass out there, Commander." Hunk said, and Keith had a sneaking suspicion that the big man was sniffling.

"Don't worry, big guy," Lance said. "We'll be back to visit."

Rebekah moved forward to stand next to Hunk as he dropped Keith. "Hopefully it will be sooner rather than later." she said, smiling.

It took Keith and Lance a moment to catch on, but once they saw Hunk's grin mirroring Rebekah's, the pieces fell into place. "When's the big day?" Lance asked, hugging Rebekah.

"We're not sure yet," Hunk replied while he and Keith shook hands. "But you will be the first to know."

"We wouldn't miss it!" Lance crowed.

Keith hugged Deirdre. "You sure you want to stay? Hawkins said he would recommission you if you want to come back to Garrison."

She shook her head. "My Garrison days are over, and I don't know that I would really be able to go back to my old life on Earth. You know, with everything that's happened. Besides, Allura's offered me a cushy job as Captain of her personal guard. How hard can it be keeping tabs on a princess?"

Lance raised an eyebrow at Keith, but kept his opinion to himself. Instead he said, "yeah, good luck with that."

"Keith...Lance..." They turned to see Jeff waiting at the top of the ramp. "It's time."

Keith nodded. "Right. Come on, Lance." He gave Deirdre one more glance. "Take care of her."

Deirdre gave him a snappy salute. "Aye, aye, Commander."

Keith and Lance made their way to the top of the hanger ramp and turned one more time to wave good-bye at the door closed.

From her bedroom in the Castle of Lions, Allura watched stoically as the Explorer lifted off the planet and disappeared into the atmosphere. She did not cry. She had no tears left to give. After a night of soaking her pillow, she had finally decided that she really had no right to be angry with Keith. After all, he had honored his promise to help her bring peace to her planet. He had stayed until the end. Why should she be allowed to hate him when he had sacrificed so much for her and her people?

A knock at the door took her attention from the window. "Allura..." Nanny's voice filtered through. "Breakfast is ready, my darling."

"I'll be right down, Nanny, thank you."

The princess sighed loudly and straightened her shoulders. She would have to learn to get on without Keith. It was time to stand on her own and rule her planet as her father did. She would see his dreams of peace and prosperity to fruition. She would make him proud.

* * *

><p><strong>So, obviously this took a different turn than I expected when I began this thing. I said before that I was ready to be finished and done with this story. Unfortunately, the story had different ideas. For all of you darling KA shippers... no HEA this time, my lovelies. But fear not! There is more story begging to be told. You can probably guess what that mean...SEQUEL! Now, I'm not going to lie to you, I do have other projects that needed to be tended to, so I'm not really sure when I will be able to get fully into my next story. But I have left you with a little treat so show you that I am indeed serious about it. The next chapter is a teaser for the next part of the story. Please let me know what you think. I am pretty excited about it :) **


	28. Chapter 28

The buzz at the door indicating that someone was waiting outside pulled Keith's attention away from the screen in front of him. "Come in." He leaned back in his desk chair as the door slid open, and Lance entered walking gingerly and trying unsuccessfully to mask the stiff pain as he moved. He set an file tablet on the desk before sinking gratefully into the chair across from Keith.

"P.T.'s not agreeing with you, I see." Keith observed.

Lance shook his head. "Even my hair hurts," he whined. "Why are they doing this to me?"

"You failed your physical, Lance. They won't let you back into the field until you pass." Keith smirked as he reached for the tablet. "You got too lazy on Arus, my friend. I kept telling you to keep up your training."

Lance decided not to engage in a losing battle, so he changed the subject. "It's done."

"Good," Keith said, glancing over the e-files. "It only took you a week longer than it should have."

"Gimme a break," Lance begged, "not all of us can be the perfect soldier like you." He watched Keith as he scanned the e-files. "You know, it's been three months since we've been back, and I still can't get used to the new do."

"Yes, I know," Keith said, not looking up. "You say that every time I see you."

Lance leaned over to get a look at himself in the glass on the desk, then looked at Keith's matching hair cut. "Yeah, well, at least you look good with a military cut. I look like a total douche." He frowned and ran his hands through his new shorter locks and muttered something about crappy Garrison protocol.

Keith ignored him. "These are the guys you picked?"

"What's wrong with them?"

"They just seem kind of green for this assignment. They're barely out of the Academy."

Lance shrugged. "Yeah, well, a brilliant man once said, 'If you're afraid of getting a rotten apple, don't go to the barrel, get it straight from the tree.' These guys haven't had a chance to be tainted by Garrison politics yet."

"They've both been accepted into the Special Ops training program. So someone must think they have some talent. But this one," Keith pointed to the tablet, "seems like kind of a screw up. Several demerits on his record."

"Aw, he's just a little rough around the edges. He's got great pilot scores – a real scrapper, that one."

Keith narrowed his eyes. "He reminds you of you, doesn't he?"

Lance grinned. "Maybe a little."

"There is no end to your vanity, is there?"

"Nope."

Keith turned back to the file. "This one looks competent enough. Good with computer analysis. His combat training scores could be better."

"Just a little wet behind the ears," Lance argued. "Nothing a couple of real life battle situations can't cure. He's good with machinery too. So we've got a Hunk and a Pidge all rolled into one."

Keith didn't look convinced.

"Look, Keith," Lance began, "you are the one who saddled me with putting together your team. If you don't like how I do things..."

"Quit whining, you big baby." Keith said. "I trust your judgement, Lance. If you think they're up to it, we'll give em a shot."

That settled Lance. "Good. I know that you want to keep the team small, but do you really think two will do it? Don't you think a five man team would be better?"

Keith shook his head. "If it were up to me, it would be just me and you. But we'll need extra boots with us. Four will be just fine."

"Your the boss. So, do you want to meet these guys? They're outside."

"They've been waiting out there all this time? What if I had vetoed them?"

Lanced grinned. "I knew you wouldn't." He grimaced as he stood up and then muttered more profanities directed at Galaxy Garrison on his way to the door. "Come on in, guys."

The two young soldiers entered. One could barely contain his excitement and carried himself with a certain arrogance that Keith immediately recognized while the other looked as though he would vomit at any moment. They approached the desk and stood at attention as Keith rose from his chair.

"At ease, men," Keith said. They relaxed a little, but still maintained their Garrison trained composure.

Lance snickered behind them. "Admiral Kogane, this is Ensign Daniel Harris, and Ensign Vince Larkin."

Keith looked them over for a moment before telling them to sit. They both took a chair in front of the desk. Lance stood between them.

Keith also sat and folded his hands in front of him.

"With respect, Sir," Ensign Harris said suddenly, blatantly ignoring protocol when addressing a ranking officer "are we in some sort of trouble? Because if this is about the grafitti on General Hawkins' ship, I was no where near that hangar Saturday night. I have witnesses."

Keith glanced up at Lance who only smirked and gave him a small wink. "And you, Ensign Larkin? What do you have to say?"

Vince was watching Daniel wide-eyed clearly a little more than irritated with his comrade. He jerked his attention back to Keith. "I barely know this guy, Sir. We had a couple of classes together at the Academy, but other than that..."

"Geez, way to throw me under the bus, Vince," Daniel said, glaring at him.

Vince shook his head. "Nope, you are not going to get me into trouble AGAIN!" he said with conviction.

"Oh, come on, it was only that one time," Daniel said, "and really, if you think about it, it wasn't totally my fault..."

"Are you serious? It was completely your fault,"

Keith looked at Lance again who could only shrug. He cleared his throat loudly to remind the men that he was still in the room. They caught it quickly and both shut up. "I'm sure that you have heard the rumors that Garrison is putting together a task force to weed out some potential moles."

"Yes, sir," Daniel answered, "but that's supposed to be top secret, right?"

Lance snorted. "Yeah, so top secret that all of the first year cadets know about it."

"Is that why we're here, Sir?" Daniel asked. "Because with respect, I'm supposed to be reporting for training in the Special Ops program in two weeks."

Vince looked at him, surprised. "Me too. Sir."

"I am well aware of your status right now, Ensigns." Keith said.

"Trust me, boys," Lance said, "this mission is going to be the only Special Ops training you're going to need." Both Ensigns glanced at him, then each other, and then back at Keith for clarification.

Kieth nodded. "The task force is really just a smoke screen for our real mission."

Now, Daniel sat forward in his chair, listening intently.

Keith continued. "First of all, I want to make it absolutely clear that what you are about to hear is for your ears only. If anything I am about to tell you is leaked to anyone, you will be thrown in the brig for the better part of your lives. Do you understand?"

The Ensigns nodded gravely.

"Three months ago, the Drules hold on the Danubian Galaxy in the Far Universe began to crumble."

"That's were planet Arus is, isn't it, Sir?" Vince asked.

"That is correct." Keith answered, clearly impressed with Vince's knowledge of Arus.

Daniel sneered at him. "Suck up," he whispered under his breath.

"Garrison has received intel that there are still splinter cells in the area. Groups that are still loyal to Planet Doom."

"And King Zarkon and Prince Lotor." Daniel piped up.

Keith let out a breath. "Yes."

Daniel grinned at Vince.

Now Lance spoke. "Garrison is afraid that these cells will band together to retaliate against Arus. We are being sent to make sure that didn't happen."

"But, Sir, why not just take Voltron?" Vince asked. "Wouldn't that solve the problem?"

Keith and Lance glanced at each other. They had both been wondering how much the Ensigns had known about Voltron. The Arus assignment – and by default, Voltron – was supposed to be top secret, need to know information. Apparently, word had gotten around.

Keith cleared his throat. "Voltron is for defense only. Waiting around for Arus to be attacked is not an option. Our mission is to root out and eliminate any remaining threat to that part of the galaxy." There was a moment of silence as the Ensigns digested the information. There was no denying what exactly Keith meant when he said 'eliminate' the threat.

"This is a Black Ops mission, guys," Lance said. "We are going to be off Garrison's grid with no back up. We'll pretty much be on our own."

Keith nodded. "We won't be sending you to the wolves completely unprepared. There will be two weeks of special training before we go. What I need to know, right now, that the two of you will be able to handle this assignment."

There was no hesitation from Daniel as he jumped up and stood at attention. He was struggling to contain his excitement. "You can definitely count on me, Sir!"

Keith had to mentally stop himself from smiling. He could definitely see the resemblance between the Ensign and his own right hand. Daniel carried the same self assured attitude as Lance, and Keith knew from first hand experience how invaluable that could be. As long as he could keep the kid reigned in. He would leave that responsibility to Lance. It would serve him right. Vince, on the other hand, look less sure of himself. "Ensign Larkin?"

"Um," Vince stood up awkwardly but seemed to be struggling to find the words. "Well, I guess..."

Daniel stepped in for his comrade. "I think that what Vince is trying to say is that he would be honored to serve under you, Sir." He stared at Vince, trying to get him to say something.

"Uh, yes, Sir," the words finally came, "honored to serve. Yes, Sir."

Keith stood. "Good. Tomorrow we'll begin your training for the mission. It will be the most intense two weeks of your life, so make sure you're ready for it. You're dismissed."

Both men nodded and allowed Lance to escort them to the door. When they were gone, Lance went back to the desk. Keith was already looking at some different files on his computer. "You're sure about this, Keith? I mean, couldn't we at least tell Coran what we're going to be doing? Or at the very Hunk and Pidge? We're going to be out there without any backup..."

"We've already had this discussion, Lance, and I see no reason to do so again. I've got work to do before tomorrow, so if you don't mind."

The dismissal was unmistakable. Lance let out a defeated breath, turned on his heel, and retreated for the door.

Left alone in his office, Keith sat back in his chair. They had indeed discussed letting Arus know about the potential threat. More than once. Keith had decided that telling anyone on the planet would only complicate the mission. Lance had strongly disagreed, arguing that there was another, more obvious reason for the radio silence. Keith had immediately quashed the line of thought, and they had not spoken of it again. His mind was set. The Drules were not going to get another foothold in the Danubian Galaxy. Not only would it put all of the progress towards defeating them at risk, but all of the lives lost during the war would have been in vain. Moreover, Arus was finally able to settle down and enjoy the tranquility that the fall of Doom had brought to them, and Keith was determined to make sure that it stayed that way.


End file.
